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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26722288">1989</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsoravenclaw/pseuds/thatsoravenclaw'>thatsoravenclaw</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adventure, F/M, Mystery, Romance, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:27:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>119,897</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26722288</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsoravenclaw/pseuds/thatsoravenclaw</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As Hermione is searching for the diadem during the final battle, her wand gets broken by Draco Malfoy while separated from her friends. While attempting to get away, she finds a timeturner among the hidden things and tries to go back in time a few minutes to safety. When the timeturner gets broken mid travel she ends up in 1989 with her best friends older brother instead.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Charlie Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>216</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>394</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story has been posted on Fan fiction for over two years now, and though I still have several chapters to go on it I decided to start posting it here as well. I usually update every few weeks. </p><p>Enjoy :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the one and only owner of the Harry Potter series and all of it's wonderful characters.</p>
<p>1989</p>
<p>Chapter 1</p>
<p>The furor of the battle died the moment they crossed the threshold of the room of requirement and closed the door behind them: all was silent. They were in a place the size of a cathedral with the appearance of a city; its towering walls built of objects hidden by thousands of long-gone students.</p>
<p>"And he never realized anyone could get in?" said Ron, his voice echoing in the silence.</p>
<p>"He thought he was the only one," said Harry. "Too bad for him I've had to hide stuff in my time...this way," he added, "I think it's down here."</p>
<p>They passed the stuffed troll and the vanishing cabinet Draco Malfoy had mended last year with such disastrous consequences, then Harry hesitated, looking up and down the aisles of junk; he could not remember where to go next.</p>
<p>"Accio Diadem!" cried Hermione in desperation, but nothing flew through the air toward them. It seemed that, like the vault at Gringotts, the room would not yield it's hidden objects that easily.</p>
<p>"Let's split up," Harry told the other two. "Look for a stone bust of an old man wearing a wig and tiara! It's standing on a cupboard and it's definitely somewhere near here."</p>
<p>They sped off up adjacent aisles; Hermione could hear the others' footsteps echoing through the piles of junk, of bottles, hats, crates, chairs, books, weapons, broomsticks, and bats.</p>
<p>Deeper and deeper into the labyrinth she went, looking for the objects Harry had described. Her breath was loud in her ears, and then her very soul seemed to shiver. There it was, right ahead, the blistered old cupboard in which Harry had said he had hidden his old potions book; and on top of it, the pockmarked stone warlock wearing a dusty old wig and what looked like an ancient, discolored tiara.</p>
<p>Hermione was just stretching out her hand to grab it when a voice behind her stopped her in her tracks. "Hold it, Granger."</p>
<p>She skidded to a halt inches away from it, and turned around. Crabbe and Goyle were standing right behind her, shoulder to shoulder, wands pointed right at her. Through the small space between their jeering faces she saw Draco Malfoy.</p>
<p>"What have we got there?" He asked with his own wand pointing at her through the gap between Crabbe and Goyle.</p>
<p>Hermione reached behind her and grabbed the first thing her fingers could touch before bringing it in front of her. She looked down to discover that what she was holding was a very small book titled "The history of animals with magic."</p>
<p>"Just a book boys." She responded trying to sound deceptive.</p>
<p>"Whatchoo need a silly book for Mudblood?" Crabbe asked as he took a step toward her.</p>
<p>Hermione raised her wand to point back at him. She was not going to go down without a fight; not even when it was three against one. "Heard there was one in here that could be useful to take down that blasted snake of his."</p>
<p>"What about that die-dum we heard Potter talking about while we was disillusioned outside?" Goyle turned to ask Malfoy. "Is a die-dum some code name for a book?"</p>
<p>"No you idiot, it's a type of crown." Malfoy said shaking his head at his friends stupidity.</p>
<p>Hermione grimaced in defeat and she saw the look of triumph that came across Draco's face; she knew she'd been caught in her lie. Her hope of deceiving them was now gone and her only chance now was to best them at dueling.</p>
<p>"Well, well Granger, looks like your luck has run out tonight." Malfoy said with a smirk. "Now hand over the diadem."</p>
<p>"I hadn't found it yet." She attempted to lie again. "I was just about to check this cupboard for it when you three showed up."</p>
<p>Malfoy's eyes gleamed as they caught sight of the jeweled tiara behind her, and she once again knew that he had caught her lie.</p>
<p>"Go and find Potter and Weaselbee. They are bound to be around here somewhere." He commanded as a sinister grin spread across his lips; his eyes never leaving her. "I'd like to handle Granger all on my own."</p>
<p>Hermione watched as Crabbe and Goyle nodded in compliance and turned to go the direction they had come from. She waited for the two troll like men to be completely out of sight before making her move. In one quick motion she snatched the diadem off the top of the bust and threw a curse at her opponent to distract him. Her wand was aimed steadily for the center of Malfoy's chest and she backed her way to an aisle of sorts; or as much of one as this room contained. Her chances of getting out of here and back to her friends was looking much better now that it was only Malfoy standing in her way.</p>
<p>As soon as she moved Draco dodged her curse and threw one of his own back at her, which she blocked just in time.</p>
<p>"I'm hurt Granger." He faked as he stalked slowly toward her; causing her to take a step back for every step forward he took. "We finally have some alone time and you're already trying to ditch me." He threw another nonverbal spell at her which she dodged this time.</p>
<p>"Go to hell Malfoy." She retaliated with a swarm of attacking birds.</p>
<p>He blocked them easily; making them dissipate into thin wisps of smoke. It seemed that Malfoy was much better at dueling than he had been a few weeks ago at Malfoy Manor. He must have been practicing extra hard after disappointing Voldemort by letting them escape.</p>
<p>"You know Granger; as much as I hate to admit this, you actually are quite pretty... for a Mudblood at least." He said as he attempted to close the gap between them; spells flying from both their wands back and forth. "I've thought so deep down, ever since the yule ball four years ago. Perhaps we can stop all this fighting and come to some sort of arrangement instead."</p>
<p>"I'd rather not!" Hermione spat in disgust. The idea of letting him touch her alone made her skin crawl. She sent two spells in retaliation this time: one at him, which he easily blocked; and another at the large stack of books beside him. The stack came toppling down and he had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit in the head by a rather large one.</p>
<p>The distraction worked, and with her enemy down Hermione took off at a run; going further and further into the maze of junk, but to her misfortune away from the exit. She ran and ran, not daring to stop as she could hear Malfoy's footsteps chasing after her. Her distraction only gave her a brief headstart and with his longer legs she knew it was only so long until he caught up to her.</p>
<p>After a short time she came to a fork in the aisle. She needed to make a decision quickly; for Malfoy was gaining on her, but she knew not which direction would give her a better advantage.</p>
<p>She chose to go right, hoping that it might eventually lead her to Harry; who had just gone one aisle over from her earlier. Maybe with a little luck this fork would lead to a break between the two and they could meet up again.</p>
<p>Luck, as it turned out, was not on her side at the moment.</p>
<p>Malfoy had caught up to her and sent a tripping jinx to her legs before she even realized she had been in his sights. She was sent skidding across the floor as she fell; the impact of which caused her wand to clatter across the floor. Time seemed to slow as it rolled away and out of her reach.</p>
<p>"Accio wand." Draco shouted as he noticed her newly defenseless state.</p>
<p>As she scrambled to try and reach it before it flew toward the air, Hermione's lovely vine wand shot straight into Malfoy's eagerly awaiting fist.</p>
<p>"Granger...Granger...Granger." He said triumphantly, as he twirled her wand between his fingers. "I'm afraid you are in for it now."</p>
<p>She stood slowly, as not to give him a reason to curse her when she was now unarmed.</p>
<p>His smirk grew as he placed an end in each hand and held it out in front of him. "Say goodbye Granger."</p>
<p>Her eyes widened as she caught his intention and a look of horror crossed her face. "No! Don't!" She yelled as she held a hand up in front of her.</p>
<p>It was too late though; a distinctive snap was heard as he broke her wand in two. The snap was soon followed by a clatter as the pieces were thrown over his shoulder. He then began to laugh cruelly at the heartbroken look on her face.</p>
<p>"It's over Granger, there is no way you can beat me without a wand and you know it." He said as he stepped toward her, his own wand raised in warning if she attempted to escape again. "Now hand over that tiara."</p>
<p>Several tears escaped the corners of her eyes at the loss of her most prized possession, but she held up the diadem in defeat.</p>
<p>Malfoy began to walk toward her again, looking victorious. It was obvious he thought that the fight was over and that he had truly won. In his seem to be victory, Hermione noticed that he was letting his guard down as he approached her. He now seemed to focus more on the diadem than on her; clearly not realizing that even without a wand she was still smarter than him.</p>
<p>And that is when Hermione made her move.</p>
<p>Taking advantage of his obvious lack of focus, she threw the diadem as far as she could over his shoulder; hoping that he would go after it instead of her. Maybe if she could make it to Harry or Ron they could still stop him before he got the diadem back to Voldemort.</p>
<p>To her delight, his eyes followed the airborne tiara instead of keeping them on her. Taking this as another advantage she grabbed the nearest weapon she could find, an old broomstick, and hit him as hard as she could in the gut with it. The impact caused him to double over in pain, and with the new opportunity to get away she began to run again.</p>
<p>Faster and faster she went, diving through the towers of long forgotten belongings. Faster and faster she went until at last she reached a solid wall. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of it. The fork she had taken earlier in hopes that it would lead her to one of her friends had turned out to be a dead end.</p>
<p>She approached the wall slowly, touching it lightly with her fingers upon reaching it.</p>
<p>"No!" Hermione cried as she slapped it; angry that her attempt to escape had been thwarted again.</p>
<p>Panic began to set in as she could now hear Malfoy's furied footsteps in the distance. He would catch her for sure now, and without her wand there was little she could do to stop him. The suggestive way he was talking to her earlier only made her feel more uneasy about her current predicament, and she found herself praying Harry and Ron would find her before Malfoy could drag her from the room.</p>
<p>Being the Gryffindor that she was, she decided she was not going to go down without a fight; not even if the chances of winning were slim. She turned to face the piles of things hidden from times past and take in her surroundings. Surely there was something she could work with to try and defeat him.</p>
<p>She looked around quickly but carefully, for Malfoy was bound to catch up with her soon. She spotted cups, and candles, a large pot with greenery spilling out the top, several books covering many subjects, and various other useless items; but nothing it seemed that would help her get out of here and back to her friends.</p>
<p>Just when she was thinking about hiding under a pile of rubble instead, she finally spotted something that could be useful. Against one of the stacks across from her sat a very large traditional desk that was littered with many items. One of these items was something she was very familiar with.</p>
<p>Upon a very large dictionary sat what most students would think was just a simple gold necklace, but in reality was a very rare magical item that Hermione had used many times before. An item that was thought to have been completely destroyed only two years ago.</p>
<p>For this item was no simple necklace at all, but a time turner.</p>
<p>Breathing a sigh of relief she started to walk briskly to pick it up; her intention to go back only a few minutes. If she could get to her dropped wand before Malfoy destroyed it she would be able to stop him. Or maybe she could hide until the diadem was thrown and she could retrieve it and take it to Harry and Ron before Malfoy or the others caught up to her again. Either way it seemed to be her only hope now.</p>
<p>Just as she was a few feet from the desk, she felt her whole body jerk backwards and a very sharp pain to her head. She would have fallen to the floor had her attacker not kept a hold of her hair that he had pulled roughly. A scream escaped her lips as her back crashed harshly into a firm chest from the force of the pull, and she knew she had once again been caught by her childhood nemesis.</p>
<p>"Now about that arrangement I mentioned earlier." He said as he spun her around and backed her up against the large oak desk; his fingers creeping their way around her neck. "If you cooperate like a good girl I might just keep you as my personal prize instead of handing you over to the dark lord." His other hand made it's way up her side to fondle her through her shirt.</p>
<p>The way he said the word prize made her skin crawl, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust at his inappropriate gestures. "I'd rather face your Aunt's crucio a thousand times."</p>
<p>"Oh Granger." He smirked menacingly as he nuzzled his nose into her neck. "I'm going to have such fun teaching you your place."</p>
<p>With her wandless, and backed into a corner he let his guard down as he began to feel her up; once again leading to his downfall. In one forceful blow she had elbowed him as hard as she could in the stomach before bringing her knee up into his crotch. It was the only thing she could think to do without her wand to defend herself, and luckily he collapsed on the ground from the pain.</p>
<p>Hermione quickly grabbed the time turner and took off running as fast as she could; looping the chain around her neck as she went. It really was unbelievable how big this place was and how easily you could get lost among the stacks. She was just turning the dial to go back ten minutes when she heard Malfoy yell from behind her.</p>
<p>Before she could finish the turns of the dial, she felt herself yet again get hit by the tripping jinx. Down down she went; crashing once more to the floor. Down down she went, letting the time turner hit the floor with her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: Harry Potter always has and always will belong to JK Rowling</p>
<p>1989</p>
<p>Chapter 2</p>
<p>Hermione squeezed her eyes shut as she hit the stone floor, expecting Malfoy to shoot another spell her way. She was sure he would be extremely angry after what she'd done to his family jewels, and figured he would punish her accordingly; unarmed or not.</p>
<p>When a minute went by and she was met with nothing but silence, she finally opened her eyes. Turning onto her backside slowly, she realized that Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. With him gone, she concluded that the time turner must have brought her back to her destination. She breathed a sigh of relief knowing she was out of harm's way for at least the next few minutes.</p>
<p>After taking a moment to catch her breath and calm down she realized she needed to prepare herself for the inevitable duel that was coming. She stayed very still and held her breath as she listened closely; expecting to hear herself and Malfoys duel far off in the distance, but eerily the room was completely silent.</p>
<p>She took a good look around the room and to her confusion realized that not only was Malfoy gone, but the surroundings seemed slightly off as well. She was sure the potted plant she had noticed earlier was much bigger than it was now. And not only that but a grouping of candles had seemed to completely disappear along with a few of the books she'd spotted as well.</p>
<p>With so many items changed or out of place she was now worried that she had come back in time too far. Hermione grasped the gold chain that adorned her neck to take a peek at the charm. To her horror, she discovered that one of the knobs was now missing, the hourglass shattered, and the spinning circle cracked severely.</p>
<p>"No, No, No, No, No!" She cursed as she realized the time-turner had been damaged in the fall. "What am I going to do now?"</p>
<p>Hermione Granger was stuck. By the looks of things she wasn't still in the same day anymore, let alone only the ten minutes she'd attempted to travel. And with the time-turner now broken she had no hope of returning to her own time.</p>
<p>Alone, wandless, and with nothing but her trusty bag and a broken time-turner, Hermione knew she had no choice but to turn around and go back through the room of hidden things. She would have to get back into the main part of the castle and figure out how far she'd come into the past before there was any hope of reuniting with her friends.</p>
<p>Knowing that messing with any of the items inside could change the past, she made sure not to touch anything on her way back to the front. She even left the broomstick she'd hit Malfoy with earlier alone even though it would make her trip much easier, and walked the long way back to the entrance of the Room of Requirement. Past the fork she had taken earlier. Past the stack of books she'd knocked over onto Malfoy in an attempt to escape. Past the stuffed troll near the entrance. Until finally she reached the door and entered the seventh floor of the school she had come to know so well over the past seven years.</p>
<p>Once she was back inside the castle, she realized she didn't know where to go from here. What if she had only gone back a few months? The castle could be controlled by Snape and crawling with other death eaters. And if it was, she would be walking into an even worse situation than the one she was just in with Malfoy. In fact, since she didn't even know what year she was in, she had no clue who she might run into once she left this spot.</p>
<p>There were a lot of things Hermione was not sure of, however, what she did know was that the castle would still be laid out the same; no matter the timeline. What she remembered from her six years of school was that not too far from here, there was a large bay window that you could see the entire grounds from. She knew that if she took the hallway to the right and went down one set of moving stairs she would reach it with little risk of running into anyone who might currently be in the castle.</p>
<p>So with that in mind, that is where she headed. If she could see the grounds it might give her at least a hint of what time of day it was. Maybe she'd even see Hagrid on the grounds and could somehow make it down to him. She knew he would be trustworthy whatever time she was in, and it would be nice to have an ally.</p>
<p>When she finally reached the over-sized window, the first thing she realized was that it was early evening. It was dark outside, but she could just make out the sunset far off in the distance. The next thing she noticed gave her the first hint of when she had ended up. She now knew at least what month and day it must be, as the current activity occurring only happened once a year.</p>
<p>Out on the lake she spotted many tiny boats filled with children, and one very very large man with a wild beard crossing to get to the castle. She knew this only happened on September First, as this was the day the students arrived back to school. This was the day the first years would get their first glimpse of the castle by sailing across the lake with the gamekeeper.</p>
<p>The fact that she could see Hagrid made her smile, yet also worried her at the same time. If Hagrid was escorting the first years as was tradition, that meant that Dumbledore was still alive and headmaster. And if Dumbledore was still headmaster, that also meant that it was at least a year and eight months earlier than when she had started the evening. It was even possible her younger self was in the castle somewhere.</p>
<p>She remembered the lecture she had received from McGonagall her third year about the risks of running into one's past self and nearly slapped herself for not thinking of going to her mentor earlier. As much as she adored Hagrid, McGonagall was the person she needed to see more. Mcgonagall was the better person to go to for this kind of trouble.</p>
<p>Now with a part of a plan, Hermione's first instinct was to run straight to the deputy headmistresses office. However, knowing that the start of term feast was going to be starting any minute meant that Mcgonagall would be preoccupied for several more hours.</p>
<p>With plenty of time to spare, she decided to go freshen up in the ladies room; she felt disgusting and knew she probably looked a fright. When she got to the nearest lavatory, she went to the sink and turned on the tap to let the water heat up. She let the still cool water run over her hands as she took the first look at herself in the mirror since she had left Shell Cottage that morning.</p>
<p>She didn't look quite as bad as she thought; her hair was less frizzy than expected, though still a big bushy mess. She was also covered in grime after her little trip to the chamber of secrets with Ron earlier.</p>
<p>'Oh Ron' She thought as she buried her face in her hands. She had finally kissed him after years of dreaming about it, and to her delight he had kissed her back fervorously. She finally had confirmation that he liked her too, and now they were separated though both time and space; not knowing if she would ever make it back to him. That kiss seemed like ages ago now, though she knew had really only been minutes before entering The Room of Hidden Things.</p>
<p>Hermione took her time in the bathroom. Taking extra care to thoroughly scrub all the grime off her face and slick her bushy hair back down into tamable curls; all the while thinking about her silly crush on her best friend.</p>
<p>There was hardly anything she could do about her clothes without a wand; she still had her trusty beaded bag, but it was running low on supplies after nearly a year on the run. She was still healing from the burns the cups at Gringotts had left, and wished she still had some dittany left to put on them.</p>
<p>When she was finished, she still looked a bit worse for wear than she would have liked, but nevertheless, she left the sixth floor bathroom and trekked her way down to her head of houses office to wait. Like most of the professors, McGonagall's' living quarters were attached to her classroom. This made it so that Hermione would not be missed as she headed to bed for the evening.</p>
<p>So alone Hermione sat at her usual desk, pulling out a book to await her favorite teachers arrival with. Alone she sat as she ignored the book and began to think about the crazy events of the past twenty hours. Alone she sat until a stern but familiar voice finally called from behind her.</p>
<p>"Can I help you?"</p>
<p>Hermione stood and turned to face the voice, relieved she could finally start to plan on how to get back to the final battle. "Professor McGonagall. I'm so glad to see you."</p>
<p>Minerva looked at her for a moment in confusion, causing a small silence to form between them. Hermione thought she looked younger than the last time she had seen her, but not by much. "Who are you, and how did you get into Hogwarts without an escort?"</p>
<p>This was not what Hermione had expected. Sure she knew she would look older than whatever age she was in this time, but how far must she have come back if her own head of house didn't know who she was. Surely she would recognize the face of a girl she had seen nearly every day since she was eleven.</p>
<p>"You seem to know me, but you're a bit old to be at this school without having taken Transfiguration at some point. I'd know you if you had. And since I know you were not at the feast just now, I have to ask what it is you are doing in my office at this time of night?"</p>
<p>With wide eyes, Hermione finally answered. "You don't recognize me at all?"</p>
<p>"Should I?" Mcgonagall asked curiously.</p>
<p>"My face doesn't look even a little bit familiar to you?"</p>
<p>Mcgonagall looked even more confused. "No. Should it?"</p>
<p>"Then I have come farther back than I thought." Hermione said, mostly to herself.</p>
<p>"Come back?" McGonagall asked with a raised eyebrow. "You make it sound like you're from the future." She finished with a slight laugh.</p>
<p>The look on Hermione's face gave her away and McGonagall's laugh, however small, faded instantly. She pulled the time turner out from underneath her shirts collar and showed off the damaged gold charm.</p>
<p>"Oh, dear." Professor McGonagall sighed. "Well… If that's the case we are going to need Albus."</p>
<p>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX</p>
<p>Fifteen minutes later, Hermione was in Dumbledore's office, the grey haired wizard sitting silently across from her at his desk. Hermione wanted to be excited that she was in a time when he was still alive, both hands normal instead of one blackened; but she was too worried about her current predicament to show it.</p>
<p>After staring at her for some time, no doubt examining her before his interrogation, Dumbledore finally spoke. "So Minerva tells me you accidentally ended up here because your time-turner broke mid travel."</p>
<p>"That's correct." Hermione confirmed.</p>
<p>"While I do understand that portion of your evening, as these things unfortunately do happen, what I don't understand is how you ended up wandless and covered in second degree burns. You look as though you have just come from battle."</p>
<p>He always was spot on in all of his theories.</p>
<p>"Professor Dumbledore sir," Hermione said calmly. "While I understand your curiosity about why I have come from the future, I feel I must remind you that to me this is the past. And what I was taught about time-travel is that releasing even a small amount of information of the future can alter that past. If I am going to get back to my own time and have it unaltered, I will need to be extra careful on how much I reveal."</p>
<p>"Whoever taught you is correct." Dumbledore responded with a small smile and a slight twinkle in his eye. "Spoken just like someone who has had experience with time-turners before now."</p>
<p>"You could say I've had my fair share." Hermione agreed.</p>
<p>"Now without telling me too much, How can I help you miss...?"</p>
<p>"Walters...Jean Walters." Hermione came up with her alias quickly. "At least that is what you can call me while I am here."</p>
<p>"A fake identity. I like it." He stated. "It's probably for the best, as I fear you will be here in 1989 much longer than you wish."</p>
<p>Hermione's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "1989?"</p>
<p>Dumbledore reached across his desk to grab today's edition of The Daily Prophet and slid it over to her. In the top corner sat the days date in black ink:</p>
<p>September 1st, 1989</p>
<p>Hermione stared at the year on the paper, shocked that she had come over eight years into the past. She wondered how the broken time turner had settled on this date to drop her off in for some time before finally pulling herself together.</p>
<p>"So how long do you fear I'll be stuck here?" She asked.</p>
<p>"Miss Walters, you have told me a fact that you know about time travel, now let me tell you a fact that I know." Dumbledore explained. "When using a time-turner you travel to the exact place you are currently standing in."</p>
<p>"Okay." Hermione said, slightly confused.</p>
<p>"And by my estimation you look to be somewhere between the ages of seventeen and nineteen." He continued.</p>
<p>"That's correct." She agreed, not knowing what one thing had to do with the other.</p>
<p>"So the fact that you were standing somewhere in Hogwarts when you used your time-turner, means that you must be a student sometime in the future. Now there is also the fact that neither Professor McGonagall or I recognize you; even as an older version of any student currently here. That tells me that you must not even start here until at least next year. That leads me to believe that even if eleven year old Jean Walters starts here one year from today, and you are now at least seventeen years old; means you have come from a minimum of seven years in the future to get here."</p>
<p>Hermione answered respectfully, even though she was sure he had been rambling. "Why does how long I've traveled matter sir?"</p>
<p>"Each object that currently exists in this time has a place and a possible future purpose. So naturally you cannot take any items with you to the future that you did not come back with, and vise versa, as you also should not leave anything you've brought from the future when you do eventually leave."</p>
<p>"That sounds fair." She agreed. "But what does that have to do with getting me back to my time?"</p>
<p>"Everything." Dumbledore smiled, clearly enjoying the draw out of the explanation. "If I request a new time turner from the ministry and give it to you so you can return to your time, it no longer exists in ours."</p>
<p>"And if the specific time-turner was suppose to be used by someone else between now and then, I will possibly alter events from my past." Hermione finished for him.</p>
<p>"Precisely." He nodded.</p>
<p>"Okay." She responded in understanding. "So if I can't have a new time-turner, how am I supposed to get back?"</p>
<p>"Luckily, I have a friend who recently retired from The Department of Mysteries at the ministry, and I believe he was quite familiar with the time turners." Dumbledore explained. "I will owl him in the morning to see if he can come take a look at yours. It will probably take him some time if he can fix it, but he owes me a favor and if fixing it is possible I know he will do it. You can't leave it here in your past anyway, so it might as well be the one that gets you home."</p>
<p>Hermione nodded, not happy with the answer, but knowing that it was the only solution to her problem. "What am I supposed to do in the meantime?"</p>
<p>"You will have to stay here, using your alias of Jean Walters, and pretend to be a transfer student." He said.</p>
<p>She sighed, but nodded in agreement. "It's better than being in isolation I guess."</p>
<p>"And even though I am not supposed to know too much; which year and house are you in right now?" He asked as if trying to plan out how to integrate her into the school without drawing any attention to her.</p>
<p>"Gryffindor." She answered proudly. "And I was just going into my seventh year." She fibbed slightly, not wanting to reveal that she had skipped what should have been her final year to go horcrux hunting.</p>
<p>Dumbledore smiled again. "Excellent. That's exactly what I told Minerva. I could see your courage the moment I laid eyes on you."</p>
<p>For the first time that night, Hermione smiled back. "Thank you sir,"</p>
<p>"So you have your alias name down, now what about your backstory? People are bound to ask about why you are only just starting at Hogwarts for your seventh year."</p>
<p>"I guess I hadn't really thought about it yet." She shrugged.</p>
<p>"Here's one." He gave her a story. "You are a half blood; witch mother, muggle father who moved your family to America when you were ten for business. After several years away you recently returned. You've attended Ilvermorny until now."</p>
<p>She nodded as he fed her a basic background. "Easy enough to remember."</p>
<p>"There is something else bothering you too." It wasn't a question.</p>
<p>"Honestly, Yes there is sir." She admitted.</p>
<p>He made a gesture with his hand to let her know he wanted her to continue.</p>
<p>"If I am going to be here attending classes without looking suspicious I'll need a wand. Mine was destroyed earlier this evening." She explained. "In fact, my wand getting destroyed is the reason I had to use the time-turner in the first place."</p>
<p>"I see." He said. "Professor McGonagall is off grabbing a prefect who I had planned on having escort you to Gryffindor tower, and giving you the password. Tomorrow, I shall have him escort you to Ollivanders to get a new one as well."</p>
<p>"I thought I wasn't supposed to have anything that came from this time though?"</p>
<p>"I happen to know that Mr. Ollivander has a very specific collection of wands just for this sort of occasion. I will write him ahead of time, and make sure he is aware of your situation. He will only let you touch wands he is positive will not be sold within the next hundred years." He replied; another twinkle in his eye.</p>
<p>"At least that's comforting." She thought out loud.</p>
<p>Dumbledore stood from his chair, wand in hand, and walked to the old chest on the wall behind him. He then pulled an old robe from one of the drawers and transfigured it into a set of school robes; complete with the Gryffindor house colors and tie. With another wave of his wand a large curtain appeared in the corner of the room. "Now if you would change into these like the rest of the students are required to on their first day, I will keep your current clothes safely in my office until it is time for you to return to your own time."</p>
<p>Yawning from exhaustion, Hermione grabbed the freshly transfigured uniform and dipped behind the curtain to do as the headmaster asked.</p>
<p>When she came back into view he handed her a bag for her to put her dirty clothes in; which she took and stuffed the jeans and top into hastily.</p>
<p>"Now Miss Walters there is one more thing I must remind you of, and that is that you should try not to get too close to anyone while you are here. Doing so could have dire consequences for both their futures, and yours."</p>
<p>Hermione nodded, knowing he was absolutely right. "I understand and agree sir. I will keep to myself as much as possible."</p>
<p>"Your escort should be here soon," He informed her. "Would you like me to heal your burns and cuts before he gets here?"</p>
<p>"Please." She consented.</p>
<p>Dumbledore took gentle care of each mark on her visible skin; one by one until a chime rang through the air to alert them someone was approaching.</p>
<p>"Ah, that should be him." He said, whipping his wand away and taking a step to the door. When a knock sounded from the other side moments later, he opened it to reveal a familiar face.</p>
<p>She couldn't place him at first, as she had only met this particular man a few times before; but the red hair eventually gave his identity away.</p>
<p>"Jean Walters, I'd like you to meet Charlie Weasley."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 3</p><p>'What predicament have I got myself into now?' Hermione asked herself as she stared into the face of her best friends second eldest brother.</p><p>She had only been in the past for a few hours and she was already risking changing it. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought about younger versions of people she knew being here.</p><p>If it had only been Charlie in Hogwarts current school year things might have been okay, as he was the Weasley she knew the least. In fact, he probably wouldn't even remember Jean Walters by the time he met fourteen year old Hermione Granger five years from now anyway. But the real problem was his siblings. If Charlie was a seventh year, than that meant Percy, Fred, and George were here as well; and that was just the Weasleys. Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson would be first years just like the twins; and Oliver Wood a third year with Percy. It was highly likely that anyone of them might recognize her later as the seventh year transfer student from their youth.</p><p>"Nice to meet you Jean." Charlie held out his hand with a large friendly smile on his face.</p><p>Having only met him twice before; both times in the hectic environment of the Weasleys home, Hermione could honestly say she'd barely noticed him before. In fact, she could count the conversations she'd had with him on one hand. Maybe it was his smile that reminded her slightly of Ron's, maybe it was the fact that he had the bluest eyes she had ever seen, or maybe it was just the fact that he was an unexpected familiar face; but there was definitely something that made her notice him now.</p><p>He was shorter than most of the other Weasleys, but more built.; less muscular than she remembered but she assumed he would gain that later on at the dragon reserve in Romania. His hair was longer than Rons, but shorter than Bills; shaggy and coming just below his ears.</p><p>"Likewise." She answered with only a slight delay; shaking his outstretched hand.</p><p>If Dumbledore noticed her discomfort he did not show it, but spoke to both of them as if everything was normal. "Jean here has had a mishap with her wand and is in desperate need of a new one. Having just transferred here, she is not familiar with Diagon Alley enough for me to let her go by herself to Ollivanders. I was hoping you would be willing to escort her in the morning before your classes start at eleven.</p><p>"Of course." Charlie said looking curiously at her.</p><p>"Excellent." Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "You will both need to meet me here at eight tomorrow morning. I will arrange it so you can floo directly to the Leaky Cauldron."</p><p>"Sounds like a plan to me." He agreed, as Hermione nodded.</p><p>"And If there isn't anything else either of you can think of, I think it is best for all of us to turn in for the night."</p><p>"I think that covers everything." Hermione said, knowing she couldn't warn Dumbledore about being good friends with the Weasleys in the future around Charlie. "Thank you Professor."</p><p>"Off you go then." Dumbledore shooed them toward the door.</p><p>Charlie held the door open so Hermione could exit first; being the gentleman Molly had obviously taught him to be. 'Too bad those lessons didn't rub off on Ron.' She thought to herself silently.</p><p>"Gryffindor tower is this way." He gestured to the right.</p><p>Her only response was a nod as she began to follow him, beaded bag over her shoulder; already knowing the way quite well.</p><p>"So what happened to your wand?" Charlie asked, striking up a conversation in the silence that had grown between them as they walked along.</p><p>"I lost it." She lied, trying to keep the conversation short. She couldn't risk becoming friends with him or he would definitely recognize her later in his life.</p><p>"Did you try getting someone to accio it for you?" He suggested. It was a long walk back to Gryffindor tower and it was obvious he was trying to keep it from being a silent one.</p><p>"No, it wouldn't have done any good because it's currently broken in two." She replied solemnly.</p><p>"So it's both broken, and lost?" He asked disbelieving.</p><p>"Yup." She answered shortly again.</p><p>"Bummer." He gave her a funny look, but pressed on undeterred. "So you got sorted into Gryffindor tonight?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Being a Gryffindor is the best. My entire family has been in it. Both my parents, and all my brothers as well." Charlie kept talking, hoping to loosen her up a bit.</p><p>"I hear houses run in families." She couldn't help but respond.</p><p>"Usually. In fact my younger twin brothers just got sorted in tonight as well. They are first years, real pranksters too. I'll point them out to you later so you'll know to watch out for them." His grin returned.</p><p>Hermione couldn't help but smile a little at the thought of seeing a young Fred and George getting into their usual shenanigans. "I'm sure I'll recognize them. I'll just look for the first year Gryffindor twins with red hair."</p><p>One eyebrow raised slightly at her. "What makes you think they have red hair?"</p><p>"I guess I just assumed it ran in the family as well." She played innocence.</p><p>He chuckled. "You are right there. We do all have red hair. All nine of us."</p><p>"Wow. That's a big family." She pretended to be surprised at the amount of Weasleys.</p><p>"You're telling me. I'm the second oldest of seven. I have five brothers and a sister." He slipped his hands into his pockets. "What about you? Do you have any siblings?"</p><p>"No, Just my mum and dad." She answered taking the next left.</p><p>Silence grew between them for a moment as he gave her a funny look again. "I thought you'd only been sorted into Gryffindor tonight?"</p><p>"I was, Why?" She asked, taken aback by his question.</p><p>"How did you know which way to go then?" He was still looking at her curiously.</p><p>'Uh oh' She thought. She forgot to pretend she had no clue where Gryffindor tower was.</p><p>"What do you mean?" She faked innocence again.</p><p>"You turned three steps before I did." He said accusingly.</p><p>"I did? Must have just been intuition then." Hermione continued to fake her innocence.</p><p>"Okay." He shrugged her off though still looked suspicious. "So how did you end up at Hogwarts? Where were you before?"</p><p>"Ilvermorny in America. My dad is a muggle and his job transferred him back to London this summer after nearly ten years away."</p><p>"But why come to Hogwarts? Couldn't you have just traveled back to America for your final year?" He was asking way too many questions for her comfort.</p><p>"My mom and I both thought it would be better to make contacts here for a little while before trying to find a job after school." She lied.</p><p>"I guess that make sense." He shrugged his shoulders with a tilt of his head. "So how did you get here?"</p><p>"Hmm?" Hermione asked, confused by his question.</p><p>"To Hogwarts." He clarified. "You didn't take the train with everyone else, so how did you get here this evening?"</p><p>"What makes you think I wasn't on the train?" He was way too observant and it was making her uncomfortable.</p><p>"I'm a prefect. I patrolled the train and never once saw you the entire trip." Charlie claimed.</p><p>"You remember everyone you saw while patrolling the train today?" She raised an eyebrow at him as the trucked along to the common room.</p><p>His cheeks turned slightly pink at her question, but he ended up playing it off cool with another large grin. "Not necessarily everyone...but I definitely would have remembered you."</p><p>It was her turn for her cheeks to turn pink, but they had finally arrived at the portrait of the fat lady. Another possible problem for future recognition of Hermione Granger. 'Maybe I should have pretended to be a Ravenclaw instead' She thought regretfully.</p><p>"Opaleye." Charlie said to the fat lady, who swung forward in response.</p><p>"It's the password." He told her even though she looked as if it was no real shock. "It changes once a month."</p><p>Hermione entered into the cozy common room; currently empty due to the late hour. It felt like home and she wrapped her arms around herself in comfort. It was nice to be here again, or rather before; after not being here since just after Dumbledore died. It was nice to be in a time where the war didn't exist yet. Where people were happy instead of scared for the lives of their families. Thoughts of the war made her worry for what would happen to Harry and Ron if she ended up stuck in the past. She knew she would still go to the battle, still try to find them. But what would they think when she aged eight years in what would only be minutes to them?</p><p>"Are you alright Jean?" Charlie stepped in close and placed a hand on her shoulder, startling her out of her thoughts.</p><p>"Fine." She claimed, though far from it. "It's just been a long day."</p><p>"I can understand that." He looked worried about her. "Would you like me to walk you up to your dorm?"</p><p>"No, it's okay. I think I can manage." She faked a small smile to encourage him that she was okay.</p><p>"Alright then." He squeezed her shoulder before letting it go. "Girls dorms are the staircase on the right. Seventh years are all the way up."</p><p>"Thanks Charlie." She nodded as he headed to the boys staircase on the left. "I'll see you in the morning."</p><p>He suddenly turned to look at her with the biggest grin she'd seen on him yet.</p><p>"It's a date."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: HP is owned by JK. Always.</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 4</p><p>Hermione purposely woke up before the rest of the girls in the dormitory so she could quietly get ready for her morning excursion. She wasn't ready to meet them yet; not when she would no doubt have to answer a bunch of personal questions. It was going to be difficult to keep a low profile when everyone would want to know why she had transferred schools so late in her academic career.</p><p>As she made her way down to the common room, beaded bag in hand, she felt her stomach rumble. It wasn't surprising, as she hadn't eaten much over the past several months and absolutely nothing the day before. As much as she wanted breakfast, she also felt going down to the great hall would be a huge mistake, no matter how early.</p><p>It turned out Charlie was already waiting for her by the fireplace, no doubt assuming they would go to Dumbledore's office together. There wasn't much light coming in through the windows yet, so the crackling fire was still the main light source. It illuminated his handsome face and the hint of stubble that was starting to grow on his chin.</p><p>"Are you all ready for your first day Jean?" He asked as he finally spotted her; a cheerful grin spreading across his lips.</p><p>"Quite." She responded shortly, still wanting to keep him at a distance.</p><p>She really was quite alright though. Last night had honestly been the best nights sleep she'd had in months. If it hadn't been for the need to escape the awkward first meeting of the roommates she would have slept much later. As she approached him she suddenly noticed he was holding a small bowl filled with lots of different fruit. Her stomach immediately began to rumble loudly again.</p><p>He chuckled and held the bowl out to her. "I thought so."</p><p>Hermione tilted her head to the side in confusion as she looked at him.</p><p>"You weren't at the feast last night so I figured you'd be starving by now." He explained. "And I also figured, based on how evasive you were about your personal life last night, that you would be up early to sneak out without the other girls seeing you. I also doubted you'd go down to The Great Hall for breakfast so you could avoid everyone's interested stares; so I brought breakfast to you. You're welcome."</p><p>She took the bowl eagerly and grabbed a grape out of it; popping it into her mouth with a hum of approval. He definitely had her pegged.</p><p>"How'd I do?" He asked with another grin. "Am I three for three?"</p><p>She couldn't help but return his grin; damn it he was charming. Not to mention observant. Why couldn't Ron have gotten some of those qualities? "Yes. Curse you and your keen sense of observation Charlie Weasley."</p><p>"Only when I find the subject interesting." He responded as he leaned against the fireplace with his arms crossed.</p><p>Hermione swallowed as a blush spread across her cheeks. She wasn't used to guys openly flirting with her, and the fact that it was her long time crushes older brother only made her feel more awkward.</p><p>"Well if you want to avoid people asking about your lack of wand we should probably head out now." He suggested. "That's why I got you a bowl of finger foods; figured it would be easier to carry and you could eat on the way."</p><p>"What about you?" She asked curiously, as she crammed another grape into her mouth. This was the freshest fruit she'd had in months and she was trying not to stuff her face in a very Ron like manner. "Aren't you hungry?"</p><p>"I have five brother's and a sister. I learned to eat fast. Especially before my youngest brother could get to it." He chuckled at his own joke.<br/>"So, yeah, I already ate before coming back up here. Thanks though."</p><p>"Figures. That sounds like him." She scoffed before she realized how peculiar it would sound.</p><p>Charlie glared at her the same way he had the night before when she'd turned the direction of the common room before he had.</p><p>"Are you ready to head to Dumbledores?" She pivoted to the portrait and away from him so he wouldn't see her incriminating face. "I'd like to get out of here before anyone else sees me."</p><p>"Yeah." He said, still giving her a strange look. "Sure, Jean."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>An hour later they had made it to Ollivander's. Hermione had finished the entire bowl of fruit and had to remind herself to vanish it before licking it clean. It had been way too long since she had been able to eat as much as she wanted. She couldn't wait for lunch in the Great Hall so she could pig out to her heart's content. She had really missed the House Elves cooking, though felt horrible for those thoughts as she still hated the idea of their slavery.</p><p>They had walked mainly in silence due to the fact that she had kept her mouth full the entire time. But as they reached the ancient shop, Charlie still held the door open for her so she could enter first.</p><p>"Miss Walters, and Mr. Weasley I presume?" Ollivander asked as he approached them.</p><p>They both nodded.</p><p>"Yes, well I don't get many customers this early in September as you can imagine, so I assumed you would be the couple Dumbledore warned me about."</p><p>Charlie smirked and crossed his arms "He said couple. Did you hear?" He nudged her shoulder with his elbow in teasing.</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed him away with both hands. He stumbled as she pretended to ignore him; though she was also trying not to smile.</p><p>"So Professor Dumbledore must have also warned you about my special requirements for a new one?" Hermione asked, hoping she wouldn't have to explain even a hint of anything in front of Charlie.</p><p>"He did." Ollivander confirmed. "I have all of the particular rainy day variety already ready for your testing."</p><p>"Wonderful." She breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't let anything slip in front of her companion.</p><p>Ollivander turned to Charlie, looking at that wand he was carrying. "And what about you? I don't believe I've ever sold you a wand before."</p><p>"No sir." Charlie shook his head. "This is an old family wand. It belonged to my uncle; Gideon Prewett."</p><p>Hermione took a look at the wand he was holding, having not noticed it the night before. To her surprise she recognized it at once; it was the wand Ron had used first and second year. She remembered him saying it had been Charlie's old wand, and she briefly wondered when and where he would eventually get his new one.</p><p>"Ah, yes. Sorry for the loss, though he died a great hero. I sold him this just over thirty-two years ago. I remember it well. Twelve inches, Ash, and unicorn hair." Ollivander informed them, remembering it fondly. "Great wand, great wand. Though I do recommend letting the wand pick the wizard, as another person's wand never quite works as well as one that has chosen you."</p><p>"Yes of course." Charlie answered politely. "I've been saving up to buy one once I graduate next summer."</p><p>"Excellent. Excellent." Ollivander seemed to like to say things twice. "Now Miss Walters lets get you all set up with a new wand why don't we."</p><p>He escorted them over to a stack of wand boxes on a small table and grabbed the topmost one. "Try this. thirteen inches, oak, phoenix tail feather."</p><p>Hermione's fingers barely brushed it before Ollivander had grabbed it, reboxed it, and opened a new one. "Twelve and a half inches, walnut, phoenix tail feather."</p><p>One by one the wands deemed her unworthy until he came to the seventh box of the day.</p><p>"Ten and three quarter inches, vine wood, dragon heartstring core." Ollivander held it out to her hurriedly.</p><p>Hermione was just about to touch her fingers to it out of habit before she jerked her hand back as if it had been burned. "No!"</p><p>"What is it?" Ollivander asked curiously. Charlie who had been looking bored before now suddenly looked up with peaked interest.</p><p>"Is this a duplicate wand?" She had to make sure.</p><p>"No my dear." He answered with a raised eyebrow. "I never duplicate. Not ever."</p><p>"I cannot touch that wand sir." She said, though she ached to grab it. It was no doubt her wand. The one that had just been broken by Malfoy the evening before. "I know this sounds crazy, but me touching that wand is going to do a lot more harm than good."</p><p>"Worried it will choose you eh?" He asked curiously. "I thought that's what you were here for."</p><p>"I am." She answered honestly even though she knew it was a bad idea. "But that wand is destined for a little girl who will start at Hogwarts year after next. If I touch it, and take it; she won't have the wand she needs."</p><p>At this point Charlie was staring at her as if she had a third eye. She knew she had revealed too much in front of him, but had not told Ollivander what he needed to know. She had to make sure her future/past self ended up with that wand.</p><p>Hermione leaned in to whisper softly so only Ollivander could hear, no matter how hard Charlie strained to listen in. "Promise me you will only sell that wand to an eleven year old girl named Hermione on August, third of 1991."</p><p>When she leaned back to look at the old man, she was surprised to see him grinning.</p><p>"Of course my dear." He said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."</p><p>"Thank you." She breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>Twenty minutes later they were exiting the shop. Hermione had ended up with a satisfactory replacement wand; eleven and a quarter inches, ash, and dragon heartstring. She wasn't quite as thrilled with it as her old one, but it was wonderful to have a wand that was hers alone again.</p><p>"You're really quite strange." Charlie said as they walked back to the Leaky Cauldron to floo back to Hogwarts.</p><p>"I am aware of that." She replied unphased.</p><p>"Are you like, really good at divination or something?" He asked, no doubt trying to figure her out.</p><p>"Absolutely not." She scoffed. "It's a rubbish subject."</p><p>"Oh thank Merlin!" He chuckled relieved. "I hate it too! Thought I'd die of boredom before I could get out of it after O.W.L. year. It's literally the worst class available at Hogwarts. Even without the fraud of a witch that teaches it here at Hogwarts it would still be terrible. I wish I would have taken Runes or something instead."</p><p>"Oh I know." She giggled at his response. "It's the only class I've ever quit before the end of the year because I couldn't stand it anymore."</p><p>"Well look at that." He teased as they continued on their path. "We have something in common; a mutual hatred of tea leaves and crystal balls."</p><p>"Cheers to that." She agreed.</p><p>"Okay so if you hate predicting the future so much, how did you know that wand you refused to touch is suppose to go to some nine year old girl?" He was looking at her with extreme curiosity; no hint of mockery present.</p><p>Her smile faded and she bit her lip nervously. "I know that was odd; and I know you want to know why I said those things. But I really really can't tell you Charlie. So can you please drop it?"</p><p>He groaned, and for the first time she saw the personality resemblance between Ron and him; they both hated being kept in the dark about things. Especially things that were bound to be interesting.</p><p>"I guess I can." Charlie agreed. "If you promise me something in return."</p><p>She glared at him apprehensively as they finally arrived at The Leaky Cauldron. "And what would that be?"</p><p>"Gryffindor quidditch tryouts are on Saturday. I'll be running them since I'm the captain." He flashed an arrogant grin. "You should come watch."</p><p>Really she should have known that he was a showoff. She'd heard he was a very good player and the only reason he hadn't gone to play for a professional league was because he wanted to play with dragons more. Molly had always said he was the most hot-headed of all her children.</p><p>"I'm not much for quidditch." She said shortly; hoping he would just leave her alone after this.</p><p>"What?" He looked flabbergasted as they reached the fireplace at the back of the pub. "You are either a very good actress, or you are completely serious."</p><p>"I find it barbaric."</p><p>He groaned under his breath. "I take it back. We have absolutely nothing in common."</p><p>"Good." She responded dryly, hoping once again to deter him from trying to befriend her. "Now you can leave me alone without blackmailing me into watching you show-off."</p><p>"No, I don't think so." He shook his head while grabbing a handful of green powder from the mantle. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you Jean Walters."</p><p>Her disinterest wasn't deterring him as she'd hoped. "I thought you said I was strange."</p><p>"Oh you are." He grinned as he stepped into the fireplace. "But I never said it was a bad thing."</p><p>And with that, he threw his floo powder down; leaving her both alone, and baffled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP. Always.</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 5</p><p>Hermione stepped through the floo only about a minute after Charlie, but he was already nowhere in sight. The only person in the room was the headmaster; accompanied by Fawkes who was currently a stunning shade of red due to the morning light shining in through the window.</p><p>"Did Charlie already leave?" She asked; somewhat surprised at herself for caring that he hadn't waited for her.</p><p>"I sent Mr. Weasley ahead so we could talk in private." He answered. "I have news about the time-turner."</p><p>"Really?" She suddenly forgot about her travel companion. "Is your friend going to be able to fix it?"</p><p>"We do not know yet." He chuckled at her impatience. "Though I have heard back from Mr Harper; the friend of mine who retired from The Department of Mysteries. He said he can visit here in my office on Saturday afternoon and I told him to floo in around one."</p><p>"I'll bring the broken time turner and meet you here then." She agreed.</p><p>"Wonderful; Now, were you able to acquire a satisfactory wand?" He asked.</p><p>"Yes Professor, I was." She held up her new one. "I'm not quite as attached to it as my old one yet, but it will do."</p><p>"Perfect." Dumbledore clapped his hands together.</p><p>"If you don't mind me asking, why does Ollivander have a set of wands that he is sure won't sell? I found my younger selves future wand in his supposed non sell-able stack. I had to talk him into selling it to me in the future."</p><p>"His family has passed that shop down generation to generation for several centuries." Dumbledore explained. "Over the years there just seemed to be some that never choose anyone, so they eventually stopped bringing those out to test."</p><p>She nodded in understanding. "And that's how he knew he wouldn't be selling them in the next few years."</p><p>"Precisely." He said as he adjusted his spectacles. "So what was it you wanted to tell me about?"</p><p>"How did you know I…" 'wanted to tell you something' Hermione started to say, but realized Dumbledore always knew everything. "It's just that I'm worried I've already changed things just by being here at all. You see there are lots of people currently at this school that I know in the future."</p><p>"I figured that was probably the case, but most of them would be in their early years right now though wouldn't they?" Dumbledore asked. "It's very unlikely that they will remember Jean Walters by the time you meet them in a few years. And the professors have already been notified and instructed to ignore you as much as possible."</p><p>"That's what I originally thought too." She explained. "That people wouldn't remember me. But one of my two best friends in the future is the youngest Weasley brother."</p><p>"I see." He seemed to understand. "So you worry that when the current four Weasleys meet you in a few years they will be confused as to why you look just like the transfer student from this year."</p><p>"If it was only Fred and George I wouldn't be worried, I could easily avoid them." She continued to explain. "But Charlie is another story. He seems to want to be my friend, and since he is one of my friends brothers I have already met him a few of times before. If we get close now, there is no way he won't recognize me when he meets past me five years from now."</p><p>"I'm not going to lie Miss Walters, that could cause an issue. We are in uncharted territory here; what with you being stuck here; an undercover student from the future." He placed a comforting advisory hand on her shoulder. "I cannot tell you what to do, only advise you to what I would do in your position, and that is to follow your heart. Your time spent here might be much more pleasant and much less conspicuous if you make a select few trustworthy friends. I know I advised you against getting close to anyone while you are here yesterday, but now that I know you already know Charlie, maybe he could be one of those few people you let get close to you. Just me mindful of the future as you let him in."</p><p>"Are you sure?" She questioned, unconvinced that it was a good idea. "Getting close to someone could change something drastically couldn't it?'</p><p>"I'm not saying to go crazy, In fact you should be very very careful." Dumbledore turned to look out the window. "But...Since you are already friends with the Weasleys, I am sure you know deep down that Charlie is a good man. If there is someone here that you can trust and can help you keep a low profile, he is a fine choice."</p><p>"I feel bad enough about revealing where I come from to you and the other professors, do you really think it's wise to tell anyone else?"</p><p>"The Weasleys are some of the most loyal people currently in the wizarding world Miss Walters. I'm not suggesting you tell him everything, in fact you should tell him no more than you've told me." He turned just his face to look at her. "There is no need to worry about telling him anything anytime soon either my dear. I'm merely suggesting as a precaution that if you do become friends, maybe at some point it would be wise to tell him rather than let it shock him the first time he sees you years from now."</p><p>"I'll consider it." She said simply.</p><p>"That is all I ask." He responded. "You should try to catch your next class now. I'll see you Saturday."</p><p>Hermione nodded and turned to head to the exit.</p><p>"One more thing Miss Walters."</p><p>"Yes?" She stopped abruptly.</p><p>"Do try and control yourself in classes." He teased. "Nothing will draw attention to you quite as much as answering every question."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>All day Hermione had gone to her classes as scheduled; though only at the very last second. She would slide into the farthest back chair to avoid being questioned yet. Several people had looked at her, confused as to who she was, but luckily the teachers did not bring her up in front of everyone. She had taken Dumbledore's advice and kept silent all day.</p><p>It had turned out that she only had two classes left after returning from her morning excursion, both of which she shared with Charlie. He had sent her a reassuring smile at the start of both Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts; which was currently taught by Professor Quirrell's older brother. She briefly wondered what would happen to him to cause him to stop teaching by the end of the year, but thought better than to warn the man.</p><p>For dinner she transfigured her bowl from that morning into a large tupperware container before filling it with all of her favorite things. She once again got some funny looks from her fellow students, but she rushed off to eat in a hidden section of the Library before anyone could question her.</p><p>It was now just past eight o'clock in the evening and she knew it was time to go in and face the crowd. She was currently standing in front of the portrait of the fat lady trying to talk herself into going inside.</p><p>"Are you too nervous to go in?" A familiar voice asked from behind her.</p><p>She turned away from the entrance to confirm that it was Charlie.</p><p>"A bit." She admitted. "I mean I know I have to go in eventually and face the inquisition, but I'm worried."</p><p>"It's just a bunch of silly students. You are only here for a year. There is really nothing for you to worry about." He tried to assure her as he stepped in close.</p><p>"That's easy for you to say." She crossed her arms over her ribs.</p><p>"A bit shy are we?" He asked.</p><p>Hermione laughed at him, causing him to grin.</p><p>"No, you don't seem to be the shy type. More like the private type who wants to be left alone."</p><p>She let out a single grunt in response.</p><p>"Face it Jean. I have you pegged." He placed a single finger under her chin and turned her face to look up at him. "I'd like to get to know you, but you seem hellbent on keeping me at arms length."</p><p>She bit her lip in a thoughtful silence for a moment before replying. "Charlie I'm a very complicated person. You don't understand the trouble being friends with me could get you into."</p><p>"Well it's a good thing trouble is my middle name then, huh?" His grin returned full force.</p><p>"Alright, Fine. I'll stop trying to keep you at a distance completely." She agreed. "But I reserve the right to keep my past private."</p><p>"I guess that's as good as I'm going to get from you for the time being." He dropped his hand from her chin so he could grab her hand instead. "Now would you like me to help you with your current predicament?"</p><p>"Sure." She agreed apprehensively. "But what are you going to do?"</p><p>His smile turned very Fred and George like as he began to drag her closer to the fat lady. "You are just going to have to trust me Jean!"</p><p>"I don't like that look!" She struggled, but laughed at the resemblance. "Charlie!"</p><p>He cackled as he dragged her into the very full Gryffindor common room and in front of the crowd. She suddenly stopped smiling and got very nervous that she had made a mistake in trusting him.</p><p>"Listen up everybody." He shouted loud enough for the whole common room to hear.</p><p>The room went silent. Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked to see what the seventh year would say. It was obvious that his presence had demanded their attention and respect; mainly in part to the fact that he was not only a prefect, but their Quidditch captain as well.</p><p>"This is Jean Walters. Yes she is new. Yes she is a seventh year. And yes, just transferred here." He said loudly. "She was sorted into Gryffindor privately last night. Now she is a little shy, so don't everyone go bugging her at once."</p><p>Soft murmurs began to pass between a few of the older students, mainly the women. As Hermione looked at all the unfamiliar faces she noticed a girl with medium blonde hair glaring at her with both distaste and curiosity. How someone could already have an issue with her when she had only been here for twenty-four hours was baffling.</p><p>"That means respect her privacy please." Charlie continued. "Now onto what you are really interested in: Quidditch tryouts are Saturday starting at nine a.m. at the Quidditch pitch. We need a new keeper and a new chaser, and possibly two alternates depending on how tryouts go. Anyone who wants to tryout can either be there or be square. Goodnight!"</p><p>As he stepped away, pretty much everyone returned to what they were doing before Charlie had made his speech, and he dragged her into a more secluded spot by the fire. The loud chatter was back in full bloom within seconds of their exit from center stage.</p><p>"Why did you do that so publicly?" She asked mortified.</p><p>"You wanted to be inconspicuously didn't you?"</p><p>Hermione's face turned red. "You call that inconspicuous?"</p><p>"Yes, I do." He explained. "If you had tried to sneak in, people would have wondered where you came from and asked you a whole bunch of questions and you would have had lots of people bugging you at different times. Now everyone knows all at once, and only what I just told them. I controlled the situation and then diverted their attention at the end with Quidditch talk. Now people won't wonder who you are later, and most of them aren't even thinking about you anymore anyway."</p><p>This answer surprised Hermione. What he had done had actually been very clever, and he was likely right that this would keep most people from asking questions about her arrival. People in general were very self absorbed and would likely not notice her after this.</p><p>"Oh." She finally responded. "Thank you Charlie. That was quite helpful." Once the realization of what he had actually done sank in, she felt rather like a jerk for how she'd been treating him. "You're being nicer to me than I deserve."</p><p>"Nonsense." He scooted slightly closer to her. "You must have reasons for wanting to keep to yourself. You don't know me or anyone else here really, so I understand you not knowing who to trust yet."</p><p>Hermione heart fluttered and she gulped a little. She was going to be in more trouble than she initially realized. Charlie Weasley was turning out to be everything she liked about Ron plus so much more. She knew her face must be pink from her thoughts so she turned her head to look away from him and back at the bustling common room. "I think I'm starting to trust you at least. It's nice to have an ally."</p><p>"Ally? You sound like a spy, you know?" He said as he held out his hand as if wanting her to take it. "But I will ignore that for now. The way I see it, you will let me in when you are ready. Now would you like to meet my brothers?"</p><p>"Sure." She replied as she took his hand so he could guide her. She wasn't thrilled about conversing with more people who would know her later, but she figured it would look even stranger if she refused.</p><p>"Oi!" Charlie called. "Percy. Fred. George!"</p><p>They approached the tabletop the twins were sitting on, as Percy was scribbling away on some parchment feet away. Upon closer inspection, Percy was trying to ignore the mischievous brothers as they kept making paper airplanes dive at him.</p><p>"Okay boys, cut it out!" Charlie grabbed Fred, who was nearest to him, and put his elbow around his neck. He began rubbing his knuckle in a fast circle on the top of his head. "You know better than to annoy Percy while he is studying."</p><p>"But he's always studying!" Screamed Fred.</p><p>"Yeah Char." Piped up George. "When are we supposed to bother him? He was busy all summer on 'homework'"</p><p>"Jean, these are my eleven year old brothers Fred and George." He introduced them "Now you are going to want to keep an eye out for them. Remember I warned you about what pranksters they are. Do not, under any circumstances, trust them."</p><p>"Nice to meet you pretty lady." The young George smiled and held out his hand.</p><p>Hermione went to grab it, but Charlie stuck his own hand out to block her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."</p><p>"Aw you ruined it!" Cried Fred as he tried to smooth his hair back down from the noogie. "Why do you have to ruin all our fun? First you tell us we can't try out for the quidditch team, and now we can't even annoy Perce, or give people minor shocks to the hand."</p><p>"Yeah mum told you to watch out for us." George added. "You are suppose to be helping us, not hindering us!"</p><p>"No, mum told him to keep an eye on the two of you." Percy finally looked up from his book. "Because she knew you would be getting into a lot of trouble if he didn't!"</p><p>An argument broke out between the three younger brother's and Charlie took the opportunity to drag her away again. "So that's my family. The ones here at school anyway. Hope they didn't scare you off from me too badly."</p><p>"Not at all. I think they are fun actually." She grinned, not being able to help it after seeing the younger versions of Gred and Forge up to their usual tom-foolery.</p><p>"Glad you think so, we are quite a handful when we all get together." He remarked happily. "The other more serious brother was Percy. We all seem to have quite a range of personalities."</p><p>"I'm sure." Hermione said casually, not wanting to add anything in case she slipped up and commented something he hadn't told her yet. "Anyway I am still exhausted from my travels to be honest. I know it's early, but think I am going to go ahead and go to bed."</p><p>"Oh. Alright." He looked slightly disappointed. "Goodnight Jean."</p><p>"Goodnight Charlie." She gave him a small genuine smile. "Thanks for everything today."</p><p>"No problem at all." He smiled back as she headed up the winding staircase to the seventh year girl dorms.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXX</p><p>When Hermione arrived in the dormitory, she noticed that there were already two girls sitting on the bed next to hers. They had been laughing about something, but stopped as soon as they heard her enter the space.</p><p>The brunette stood first and soon they both approached her; luckily they seemed friendly.</p><p>"Jean, right?" The girl asked as she held out her arm.</p><p>"Yes." Hermione answered, and shook the girls hand.</p><p>"I'm Laura, and this is Sarah." She said excitedly, while motioning to the brunette beside her.</p><p>"Nice to meet both of you." Hermione said trying to sound friendly as well. She was trying to take a leaf out of Charlie's book and act normal. Keeping him at a distance had only made him suspicious of her. If she wanted to keep a low profile she needed to make herself seem like an open book.</p><p>"So where did you transfer from?" Laura asked.</p><p>"America." Hermione answered. "Ilvermorny to be exact."</p><p>"Oh, that's cool." Sarah said. "But you don't really sound like a yank."</p><p>"Sarah! Don't be rude." Laura exclaimed.</p><p>"Sorry." The girl's face turned pink. "I have a tendency to speak before I think."</p><p>Hermione smiled. "No it's okay. It's a valid question. My father was transferred there for work when I was young, and we just got back this summer. I lived in muggle London until I was ten."</p><p>"See Laura it's fine." Sarah gloated. "Welcome to Hogwarts Jean!"</p><p>Hermione talked with the two girls for a bit before bidding them goodnight. They seemed really nice and had welcomed her warmly. At least they were new faces who wouldn't risk recognizing her between now and 1998.</p><p>As she crawled into her four poster bed and closed the curtains behind her, she couldn't help but be glad for Charlies interference. He had been right and had done nothing but be helpful since her arrival to the past. She grinned as she snuggled up in her covers thinking about him.</p><p>Her face soured when she realized that she was thinking about the wrong Weasley brother.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1989</p><p>Chapter 6</p><p>Hermione actually ate breakfast in the great hall the next morning. Charlie had obviously been right about the way to introduce her, because no one really seemed to pay her any attention; not even people in the other houses. It seemed word of her arrival had spread fast.</p><p>She also couldn't believe how much she had missed meals at Hogwarts over the past year, and so she began to slather her favorite orange marmalade over a heavily buttered slice of toast. As she took her first bite, she closed her eyes to savor the salty sweetness of the combined flavors. A euphoric grin spread across her lips as she swallowed the delicious concoction.</p><p>She took a second bite, and then a third; feeling rather like Ron for the first time in her life as she overly enjoyed her breakfast. It wasn't until her fourth bite, that she felt someone slide onto the bench beside her. Expecting it to be Charlie she turned toward the figure with a pleasant greeting at the ready.</p><p>Her smile dropped instantly as it turned out to be the girl who had given her a nasty glare the evening before during Charlie's speech.</p><p>"Jean isn't it?" The girl asked.</p><p>"Yes." Hermione answered while trying to sound neutral. "And you are?"</p><p>"The names Lilac." She responded arrogantly. "Lilac Brown."</p><p>'Oh goodness' Hermione thought. 'This girl must be related to Lavender.'</p><p>"Pleasure to meet you." She tried to sound sincere even though she was incredibly annoyed.</p><p>"Likewise." Lilac smiled, though her tone did not meet her facial expression. "Now, I don't blame you for not knowing since you are new and all; but Charlie and I are kind of an item."</p><p>Hermione's throat dropped into her stomach. Charlie hadn't mentioned that he had a girlfriend. In fact, he had done nothing but flirt and act interested in her since they met two nights ago. She had known getting involved with him would be a bad idea since she was planning on going back to the future as soon as possible, but the jealousy that began to bubble under her skin made her realize that she had come to like him at least a little over the past couple of days. She tried to stamp any emotion for him down. Not only was a relationship with him forbidden, but the fact that he had hidden his girlfriend from her made her realize he wasn't who she thought he was anyway.</p><p>"Oh. He never mentioned anything." Hermione recovered quickly. "But you have the wrong idea. We're just friends, and just barely at that."</p><p>Lilac's smile turned more villainous. "As I said Jean. I don't blame you. He's very good looking, and has obviously been very helpful the past few days while showing you around on Dumbledore's orders, but you just need to face the fact that he is already taken."</p><p>Her toast with marmalade dropped to her plate, only partially eaten. She turned the majority of her body to face the girl and gave her a stern glare. "And as I said Brown; you have the wrong idea if you think something is going on between us. You have nothing to worry about. I have someone back home waiting for me, and I have no desire to mess that up by having some casual fling with a jock. Now if you don't mind I would like to go back to enjoying my breakfast in peace."</p><p>The two girls seemed to share a bit of a staring contest for a few seconds before Lilac finally broke and stood back up. "Just as long as we are clear than." She said before stalking off.</p><p>"Oh I'd say we're crystal." Hermione called to her retreating form before picking her delicious toast back up.</p><p>She took a few more bites while attempting to enjoy her breakfast again, but it had now been tainted by the thought of Charlie being with someone like that.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>"You sure are in a good mood." A brown haired, blue eyed boy by the name of Devon Cooper said as he sat down next to Charlie in History of Magic.</p><p>Charlie turned to look at his best friend. "Is it that obvious?"</p><p>"You've been grinnin like a fool since you got back from prefect duties yesterday mornin." Devon said through his thick irish accent. "That wouldna have anythin to do with that pretty new transfer student you've been followin around would it?"</p><p>"Godric, am I that transparent?" Charlie groaned. Usually he was a lot more suave when it came to the ladies.</p><p>"Like the ministers finest glassware." Devon confirmed. "You've got it bad mate."</p><p>"Nah, she's just new and interesting." Charlie tried to brush it off. "A bit odd though."</p><p>"Do you hear yourself Char?"</p><p>His brows crinkled. "What?"</p><p>"Odd? Interestin?" Devon sniggered at his friend. "Usually the only thing you're interested in with birds is getting a good snog out of em."</p><p>Charlie looked slightly offended. "No I am not!"</p><p>Devon glared at him with a smirk on his face.</p><p>"What?" Charlie tried to defend himself. "I like girls for more than snogging."</p><p>"Mhm." He nodded suggestively. "I know you do."</p><p>Both boys snorted at the implication.</p><p>"But seriously mate." Devon spoke back up after controlling his laughter. "You calling dibs?"</p><p>"Yeah." Charlie sighed, reigning to admit the fact that he really did like Jean. "I'm calling dibs."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>That night, Hermione decided to head to the Library to get a headstart on all the homework assigned the past two days. She was hoping she wouldn't be here long enough to need to turn it in, but wanted to be prepared just in case. Another reason she was doing it was because she wanted a distraction from thinking about the second eldest Weasley son and his apparent womanizing ways.</p><p>She had avoided him all day during classes. She didn't want him to know she was upset with him because she knew deep down she didn't have any right to be angry. He hadn't really done anything wrong other than omit the fact that he had a girlfriend. For all she knew he could just be overly friendly and was trying to make her feel welcome. But the fact was she just couldn't help but feel that familiar sting of betrayal. It was the same way she had felt when Ron had snogged Lilac's younger cousin just last year.</p><p>"There you are Jean." Charlie's voice called to her as he came upon her hiding spot.</p><p>'Speak of the Devil.' She thought as she attempted to ignore him.</p><p>"Oh Jeeeean!" He said in a sing song voice as he plopped down next to her. "I've been looking all over for you."</p><p>"And why is that?" She asked as she kept writing, though she did mock his sing song voice in an attempt to keep her annoyance hidden.</p><p>She could practically hear his grin; he obviously hadn't noticed she'd been avoiding him all day and now she was even more annoyed with him because he was so happy. I mean did he ever stop smiling?</p><p>"I missed you." He seemed serious. "I haven't got to bug you all day."</p><p>Hermione semi wanted to slap him in that moment. Why was he seeking her out when he should be spending time with Lilac? It was no wonder the girl was trying to get her to keep her distance.</p><p>"You know you sure do like to flirt a lot for someone who has a girlfriend." She attempted to tease, but she knew it had come off slightly accusatory.</p><p>"Girlfriend? What?" Charlie's smile dropped instantly as it was replaced with confusion. "I don't have a girlfriend."</p><p>Hermione's heart skipped a beat at his clarification. He wasn't seeing that daft cow after all. She shouldn't care if he had a girlfriend or not, but she couldn't help it; she was glad the girl had lied about him. He really was a good guy after all.</p><p>"Lilac Brown said that you two were together." She clarified. "She wants me to stay away from you."</p><p>"Oh no. Not again!" He rubbed his face with his hand. "Jean, whatever Lilac told you was a lie. I haven't had a girlfriend since fifth year I promise. And it definitely wasn't her as the girl I dated had been a seventh year."</p><p>"So you haven't been attempting to play the field?" She raised one eyebrow at him.</p><p>"Definitely not, I am most definitely single." He assured her, grin reappearing. "Unless you'd like to be my girlfriend?"</p><p>Hermione scoffed at his intensified flirting. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just ask that...You dated a seventeen year old when you were fifteen?"</p><p>He suddenly flashed her a larger grin. "She was eighteen actually. What can I say, I like older women."</p><p>She began to laugh at him, having forgiven him instantly after learning Lilac had lied about a relationship with him. Her laughter was mostly because he seemed to like her and she was more than six years younger than him in the real timeline. "Really? That's good to know."</p><p>"But seriously, I really am single." His grin still hadn't faded. "And aren't you slightly older than me?"</p><p>Her face turned red at his forwardness, but she decided to pay him one back. "You may be single, but I never said I was."</p><p>Charlie's face blanched. He hadn't even considered that she might have a boyfriend elsewhere. "Oh...American boy?"</p><p>"No." She decided to mock him with the truth. "One of your brother's. But we haven't made it official yet."</p><p>"Ha, ha." He nudged her shoulder with his before attempting to tickle her on the sides in retaliation. "You are so hilarious."</p><p>"Your words. Not mine." She smacked his hands away as she laughed. "Now why does Lilac think you two are an item?"</p><p>"Oh, shit. I had hoped you'd forgot about that." He grimaced. "Ugh, alright. I snogged her after a quidditch game last year, and she's been a bit clingy ever since."</p><p>Hermione once again felt just like she had when Lavender had kissed Ron after the Quidditch game sixth year. A realization that she was starting to actually like Charlie romantically flashed though her mind, but she stamped that down as quickly as the thought had arrived. This was too fast and she was supposed to still be falling for Ron. It had seemed like they were finally going to get together once the war was won, and now here she was ruining it by catching feelings for his much older brother.</p><p>"Oh." She tried not to look or sound jealous.</p><p>"Yup." He admitted. "The regrets of a hormonal teenage boy."</p><p>She couldn't help but nod. "You're at least much more self aware than your brother. He did much worse than that last year."</p><p>Her face paled at her momentary lapse in judgement, and she clapped one hand over her mouth once she realized what she had said. She was becoming much too comfortable around this particular Weasley and had temporarily forgotten who she was talking to. It was becoming harder and harder to keep her time travel a secret from him.</p><p>"And which brother would that be?" He suddenly seemed to have lost his good mood as he turned to glare at her with narrowed eyes. "The one you haven't made officially your boyfriend yet?"</p><p>"Gotcha?" Hermione tried to backtrack unconvincingly.</p><p>"You're not even going to try and explain yourself are you?"</p><p>She attempted to get back to work on her homework before answering. "There's nothing to explain."</p><p>"You know what?" Charlie stood slowly. "I have tried to be your friend, but this is getting ridiculous. If you have some secret you aren't comfortable sharing than fine, but stop dropping me strange hints. I'm not one for playing games."</p><p>And with that he left her alone; feeling worse than she had since arriving in the past, and wondering what it was about him that made her want to share all her secrets.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP. always.</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 7</p><p>It was late Friday evening, or more likely very early in the morning on Saturday; and Hermione was the only one still in the common room. She'd been attempting to keep Charlie off her mind since his angry departure from the Library earlier in the week, but she wasn't having any luck. He had stopped seeking her out and started avoiding her instead. She should be glad he had decided to ignore her; it would be better in the long run if he forgot about her and moved on with his life, but it seemed that in itself is what was keeping Hermione up so late the evening before she was supposed to meet with Dumbledore and the time turner expert.</p><p>Deep down she didn't want Charlie to forget about her. As much as she wanted to keep her distance, she was beginning to grow attached to him and wanted him to feel the same about her. She briefly wondered what future Charlie would say when she returned to her own time. Would he remember Jean Walters, or would she just be a long forgotten memory.</p><p>As these thoughts took over her studying, a sudden scuffling noise brought her back to reality. Hermione stood from her armchair by the fire and looked around. As far as she could tell she was alone, but there was still that same shuffling noise which she now realized was coming from the far wall.</p><p>"Lumos." She said as she approached the noise.</p><p>With the extra light she could suddenly see two small eyes turn toward her and then try to scurry away in the opposite direction. In one swift movement she reached down, and caught the small rodent by the tail; letting it hang upside down in the air by her fingers. It squealed in protest and tried to wiggle free without success.</p><p>Her blood instantly began to boil as she looked at the familiar rat with only nine front toes. "I know exactly who you are you slimy little rat bastard." She seethed at it. "Be glad I'm too smart to try and change the past you despicable..."</p><p>"Jean?" Charlie was suddenly at the bottom of the stairs several feet behind her.</p><p>Hermione turned abruptly toward him, with Scabbers still dangling from her fingertips.</p><p>"... are you talking to my brothers rat?" He was looking back and forth between her and the startled rodent with narrowed eyes.</p><p>She gulped, knowing she had been caught red handed. "Oh, is this Percy's?"</p><p>"Yeah." He said still looking at her as if she had a third eye. "How did you know which brother I was referring to?"</p><p>"Lucky guess?" She lied unconvincingly. She let the terrified animagus return to the floor where he scurried underneath the closest piece of furniture.</p><p>He stared at her blankly for a few moments before turning to go back up the stairs. "I have not had enough sleep for this."</p><p>Hermione suddenly felt empty. She didn't want to leave things this way.</p><p>"It's not that I don't want to tell you why I'm so strange Charlie." She called after him.</p><p>He stopped abruptly but didn't turn around to face her.</p><p>"It's that I'm not allowed to." She continued. "Not yet at least. Very bad things could happen if anyone finds out where I really came from."</p><p>His head snapped toward her at that admission. "So Ilvermorny was a lie than?"</p><p>She nodded and bit her lower lip.</p><p>"But that's all you can tell me isn't it?"</p><p>Hermione nodded again. "For now."</p><p>"If not now?" He asked. "Than when?"</p><p>"I'm not sure." She responded honestly, hoping he would see how sincere she was being. "But I promise one day we will talk about this, and we will laugh at this entire situation."</p><p>"I find that very hard to believe." He stared at her as if he was trying to read her for a minute but eventually gave up. "I've got Quidditch tryouts to run in the morning...Goodnight Jean."</p><p>And with that, he left her and a very terrified Peter Pettigrew alone once more.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>Early the next morning, Hermione went through her things to make sure she had everything packed into her trusty beaded bag. If Mr. Harper, the time-turner specialist, was able to fix her broken one on the spot she wanted to be ready to leave immediately. She had everything prepared for her return trip, and knew what she needed to do once she got there. She had to make sure she ended up with the diadem, and Malfoy ended up incarcerated.</p><p>If things went as she hoped, she would be the victor in that particular duel, and she'd be having that conversation with a much older Charlie Weasley by the time her day was over. This made her realize that if she made it back to 1998 today, she would never see this Charlie again; he would be twenty-six the next time she saw him. For some reason this saddened her more than she thought it would.</p><p>Checking her watch, she saw it was just past nine; he would already be down at the pitch starting tryouts. Realizing that she still had almost four hours until she needed be in Dumbledore's office she decided to go watch his tryouts after all. It would possibly be her only chance to say goodbye to him. She knew it was silly, and he would be be better off if she left without a word; but she couldn't bring herself to leave things the way they were. So with her freshly packed bag of belongings thrown over one shoulder, she exited the portrait of the fat lady for what she hoped would be the last time.</p><p>Fifteen minutes later she joined the group of Gryffindors that had gathered in the stands to watch. Lilac Brown was giving her a distasteful glare, but she ignored it; instead deciding to focus on Charlie. He was currently busy trying to shoo Fred and George away from the beaters bats for what she assumed was not the first time that morning. They weren't allowed to tryout this year, and Charlie was keeping the same beaters from the year before anyway.</p><p>A very young looking Oliver Wood was hovering on his broom in the center of the goal posts; he was obviously next to tryout for keeper. By the looks of things she had already missed one or two of the candidates, but it didn't matter because she knew that the one currently guarding the hoops would be the one to win the position.</p><p>As Charlie began to bark orders at his two current chasers, Hermione realized why he had been the one chosen for captain. He owned the game and knew exactly what he was looking for in his teammates. She recalled Ron saying that he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons, and she could now tell why. He was a very good flyer, almost as good as she remembered Viktor Krum had been when she'd attended the World Cup a few years ago.</p><p>Just as expected, Oliver caught all the quaffles the chasers sent his way. One by one he blocked the hoops as they attempted to get one past him. Hermione clapped loudly for him as he saved the last one and than did a victory lap before landing.</p><p>The next four candidates were all different levels of mediocre. Somewhat decent, but nowhere near on the level of Wood. She was not surprised that he'd beat out the competition this year and would eventually play for Puddlemere.</p><p>The final keeper tryout for the day was the irishman Hermione had seen Charlie hang out with the most since she arrived to the past. Devon was his name if she remembered correctly from classes. As the chasers attempted to get the quaffles through the hoops, he blocked them as easily as Oliver had. Seeing how close they were on skill level made Hermione wonder why Charlie would end up picking the younger man over his best friend, but she assumed she'd either find out later or it wouldn't matter anymore if she returned to her time.</p><p>The chaser's tryouts were next. Two seventh years were guaranteed their spots because they'd played for the past few years already, but the third spot was vacant. The chatter that surrounded her implied that the empty spot would likely go to the previous years alternate chaser. She had apparently helped them win significantly against Slytherin in the one game she had subbed in for.</p><p>As the tryouts continued she could clearly see the chatter had been correct. Seventh year Avery Dawson was not only better than the other candidates, but probably better than the two other chasers already on the team as well. There was no doubt that Charlie would choose her; so that only left him with the dilemma of choosing Oliver over Devon.</p><p>Eventually the tryouts came to an end, and all the candidates for both positions gathered around Charlie. Knowing once he dismissed them she would only have a short window to get his attention before he headed to the showers; Hermione left the stands to head to the sidelines.</p><p>"Thank you all for trying out today." Charlie called out loud for everyone to hear. "I am sure I would be proud to play with any one of you this year, but there are only two positions. I don't want to be to hasty with my final picks; so I have some options to think over. I will announce my selections for keeper and chaser, and the alternates as well on Monday after dinner."</p><p>After he dismissed them, he began to head to where he kept his bag. Realizing she wouldn't have much time to catch him before he left the area, Hermione started to jog as he was a good fifty yards away from her. He wiped the sweat from his forehead before grabbing his magically cold water bottle.</p><p>When Hermione finally reached him, he was still taking a long swig from it. "Could I speak to you alone for a few minutes." She asked timidly, for some reason losing her nerve a little.</p><p>"Jean." He said surprised as he turned toward her. "You came after all."</p><p>"I did." She tucked a flyaway curl behind her ear. "I wanted to see you before going to Dumbledore's office."</p><p>"Oh?" He asked apprehensively. "And are you going to be honest and tell me what it is you're going there for?"</p><p>"Dumbledore is trying to help me." She answered.</p><p>"Well, there you go being vague and mysterious again." He was clearly still annoyed with her and started to walk toward the castle; away from her.</p><p>She was desperate to right things before she left, so she ended up saying the first thing that came to mind. "Charlie, I'm in trouble."</p><p>"What?" He softened to her for the first time in days as he turned and came back to stand in front of her. "What kind of trouble?"</p><p>"The kind of trouble that left me with no choice but to come to Hogwarts without the pieces of my broken wand."</p><p>"Was someone hurting you?" He asked, getting a hint that something in her life was seriously amiss. She could tell he was truly concerned about her.</p><p>"I can't answer that without being vague again, which will only frustrate you further." She cut him off. "Dumbledore is doing what he can to help me, which is why I have a meeting in his office. Depending on how things go I might end up going back home."</p><p>"Oh." He looked disappointed. "And you won't be coming back here will you?"</p><p>"No. I won't be." She admitted solemnly. "Which is why I wanted to come say goodbye to you. Just in case."</p><p>Charlie didn't seem to know what to say for a long pause. "So, this might be it?"</p><p>"I'm not sure. If Dumbledore's help works, yes I would be leaving immediately. Part of me hopes it does so I can get home." She admitted honestly. "But I really didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to you."</p><p>He still looked disappointed but he gave a her a small smile anyway. "I'm glad you did."</p><p>"You don't have to look so down about me leaving though." She stepped forward as she attempted to cheer him up. "I'm sure we will see each other again someday."</p><p>"You don't know that." He sighed as he brushed the same curl behind her ear again, causing the butterflies in her stomach to go into overdrive.</p><p>"I'm fairly certain I do." She flashed him a large smile before placing a small kiss to his cheek. "I'm glad I met you Charlie Weasley."</p><p>"Me too, Jean." He said, as she stepped away from him again and left to go to Dumbledore's office as planned. "Me too."</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP; Always.</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 8</p><p>When Hermione entered Dumbledore's office, there was already a short balding man talking animatedly to him. Assuming it was Mr. Harper, she slipped the broken time-turner from underneath her shirt and unclasped it from her neck as she approached them.</p><p>"Ah, Miss Walters." Dumbledore gestured to her. "You are right on time. Arlington, I'd like you to meet Jean. The young lady in question."</p><p>Arlington Harper looked at Hermione through his overly large spectacles, as if assessing her. He himself looked to be in his late seventies, with a severe receding hairline and a long thin nose.</p><p>"Looks a bit young to have been assigned a time-turner." He commented.</p><p>"Yes. A bit." Dumbledore agreed. "But she needs your help nonetheless."</p><p>"Agreed." Mr. Harper said, as he moved toward the desk. "Come over here so I can take a good look at your piece please."</p><p>Both Hermione and Dumbledore followed the man as he began taking things out of his handheld pouch and laid them in a row on the large oak desk. When he closed his bag and set it on the floor, Hermione extended her arm out to hand her damaged device over.</p><p>He gently accepted the gold necklace and laid it down under the bright spotlight and magnifying glass before taking a close look. For several minutes he turned it and stared at it, making sure he gave it a thorough examination until finally he laid it back down.</p><p>"Well it doesn't look good if I'm being honest." He removed his glasses as he turned to them. "I'll need some background information if I have any hope of getting you back to your own time."</p><p>Hermione instantly deflated at his words. It sounded like she was definitely stuck here for awhile longer. "What kind of background information?"</p><p>"First off, I'll need to know where and how you obtained this time turner. Who gave you the authorization, how long you've had it, and where else you've traveled with it recently." He said. "Second, I need to know where and when specifically you traveled from, where and when your attempted destination was, and how the time turner ended up broken. I'll need to file a report so the Department of Mysteries can run reconnaissance if necessary."</p><p>"I thought I was suppose to keep everything private?" She answered.</p><p>"To everyone else, yes. To me, no." He informed them. "Coming back this far and by accident is one thing, but the amount of time you are going to be here for will most likely lead to issues that The Department of Mysteries alone should be the ones to handle. My report will let them know to be on the lookout for anything harmful that could arise from this unfortunate incident. In the rare cases of people traveling back in time more than the five hours allotted, The Department of Mysteries has to know how and when people used their time-turners in the future so that they can make sure those specific ones will be available. They don't want to risk time rifts or other inconsistencies if things end up altered. It also helps paint a general idea of the future so that we can attempt to keep everything on course. I can assure you that anything you say will remain in this office and with my department only."</p><p>"I don't think you can guarantee that." Hermione sighed. "But if you insist and it's my only chance of getting home, I'll cooperate."</p><p>Dumbledore conjured a few more chairs so they could get comfortable. "Why don't you start at the beginning Miss Walter's. And tell us your real name so Arlington can mark it in his report."</p><p>Hermione took a deep breath before starting. "My real name is Hermione Granger and I am a muggleborn from Heathgate, London. I started Hogwarts on September first, of 1991."</p><p>Mr. Harper began writing as Dumbledore looked at her curiously.</p><p>"On May 2nd of 1998, there was trouble at Hogwarts and I ended up in a room on the seventh floor that is known as the room of hidden things. I was attacked by one of the men causing trouble, and my wand ended up broken in the scuffle. I ran from him to try and get away and unfortunately hit a dead end. I found the time-turner on a desk in that room. I grabbed it just as I heard my attacker approaching again. My intention was to only go back ten minutes, as I was hoping I could try and stop him from breaking my wand in the first place, but he sent a tripping jinx to my legs before the dial was able to finish its turns. I fell, and the device must have broken from the impact when I hit the floor. When I stood up, I was here in 1989. Almost nine years in the past."</p><p>Dumbledore seemed to be deep in thought, as if he was trying to put the last few pieces of a puzzle into place. Mr. Harper was scribbling away on his parchment.</p><p>"That takes care of the when and the where, but how did you know how to use the time-turner when you spotted it among the hidden things?" Mr. Harper asked. "You seem much more familiar with it than a seventh year muggleborn student should be."</p><p>"I had one in my third year." Hermione answered.</p><p>Dumbledore was still looking curiously at her as Mr. Harper continued with his interrogation. "Preposterous. No third year would ever be given access to a device as sensitive as a time-turner."</p><p>"Well I was." Hermione defended herself. "I was taking every single class on the roster, so Professor McGonagall wrote to the minister so I could have special approval for one. Though I only had it one year before giving it back due to exhaustion."</p><p>"Fudge must be a bit barmy in the future." Arlington muttered before scribbling that information down as well. "So you'd used one for a year in 93 and 94, giving you the knowledge of how to use this one when you picked it up off a desk in 98?"</p><p>"Correct."</p><p>Mr. Harper scribbled away at his parchment for a few more minutes before he began to pack up. As he reached for the time-turner and placed it into his bag, Hermione felt a wave of panic crash into her chest. She would not be returning to her friends today.</p><p>"How long do you think it will be before I can go home?" She asked, trying to keep the panic attack at bay.</p><p>"I'm not positive Miss Granger, but I would estimate a few months at best." He replied. "I'll have to talk to the department and find out if there are any spare parts we can commandeer. If so, we can replace those parts of it and send you on your way. If not, we will have to repair what we can and use verbal spells for everything else. I'll return in two weeks; same time, same place to let you know what I've discovered. In the meantime I suggest you stay on alert and keep to yourself as much as possible."</p><p>"Yes, sir." She nodded solemnly. "Thank you for taking time out of your retirement to help me."</p><p>"You are welcome young lady." He tipped his glasses at her before turning to Dumbledore. "Good to see you as always Albus."</p><p>The floo roared green as he left the headmaster's office, who turned to her as soon as they had been left alone.</p><p>"He's come back hasn't he?" Dumbledore asked calmly.</p><p>Hermione looked taken aback. "Who, sir?"</p><p>"Voldemort, my dear."</p><p>She flinched at the name. Not because of the name itself, but because the last time she heard it she had been abducted by the snatchers due to the taboo and sent to Malfoy Manor. The place where she had undergone several rounds of the cruciatus curse at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange and ended up with that nasty scar on her arm. The scar she always made sure was covered.</p><p>"You and I both know I cannot answer that question." She replied.</p><p>"You said there is trouble here at Hogwarts in almost nine years time. 1991 is the year you say you start here, so I have no doubt that you know who Harry Potter is and his history as he is due to start that year as well. Both of Potters parents were in Gryffindor, leading me to believe that not only are you in the same year as him, but also in the same house. If Voldemort returns and goes after him, the one responsible for his downfall, I image that he or one of his followers is who is causing said trouble here at Hogwarts the night you ended up here in 1998."</p><p>"You always have been spot on with your theories." Hermione said trying to admit as little as possible.</p><p>Dumbledore chuckled at her coyness. "Your aversion to my question tells me that he does indeed find a way back, and that it is not as far into the future as I would have hoped. Tell me though, is Harry Potter still alive? Or has Voldemort taken over entirely?"</p><p>Hermione sighed but nodded her head. "Harry and I only separated minutes before I was attacked. He's alive and well for the time being, but that could change at any moment. We were right in the middle of a big battle when I was pulled away and dropped here. That's why I'm so eager to get back. My friends need me."</p><p>"Then there is still hope." Dumbledore replied, reading between the lines. "Though, you do speak of him as if he's a close friend; not just a housemate."</p><p>"He's my best friend." She admitted unwaveringly. "Which is how I know that you need to follow your instincts when it comes to him. I'm just as much a part of it as he is, and what you do leads us on the path toward victory. We are so close to taking him down for good, and it's all because of the strategy you left us with."</p><p>"Really?" A brief flicker of what looked like relief flashed across Dumbledore's face.</p><p>"Yes." She answered. "There are no guarantees of course, but we are close. Now please don't ask me anything else. What you do and don't do is what leads us on the right path. You need to find things out on your own and come to your own conclusions."</p><p>"Agreed, Miss Granger. I'll not inquire any further." He nodded singularly; his fingertips touching. "You have only confirmed suspicions I already had. The question now, is what are you going to do when you return?"</p><p>"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. "I'm going to find my friends and we are going to finish what we started. Now that I have a new wand I will be armed and more prepared for when I get back."</p><p>"That's precisely my point." Dumbledore answered back. "Preparation. You find yourself with an unordinary amount of extra time. Not something one usually comes by when they are right in the middle of a big battle. You can use this time wisely to plan for your return. You may not be able to change the future between now and May 2nd, 1998, but that doesn't mean you can't change what comes after. You have time as an advantage over Voldemort. You know what's coming, so use that advantage to help Harry defeat him once and for all."</p><p>These words seemed to inspire her, and Hermione's eyes widened as her mind raced with the possibilities. "Do you think I could be granted access to the Restricted Section of the Library while I'm here? I scoured every text I could get my hands on for information while I was here before, but was never allowed to browse through the one place that might hold the answers I was looking for."</p><p>Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he nodded again. "I'll owl you a key and let Irma know as soon as we are done here. Just make sure everything is returned in a timely fashion and that you don't take anything with you when you return to your time."</p><p>"Of course not Professor." She half smiled. "Thank you."</p><p>"You are more than welcome." He gestured to the door. "Now scurry on back to your dorm so I can take care of your key."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>"I see you didn't end up leaving after all."</p><p>Hermione looked up from the book that she had already checked out due to her special permissions. She had curled up on one of the squishy chair and halfs in the corner of the common room, her feet propped up on the matching ottoman.</p><p>"Yes, unfortunately." She replied to the second eldest Weasley son as she closed said book. "But there is a plan in place that should lead me home eventually at least."</p><p>"That's good to hear." He said as he sat in the adjacent chair, trying to get as comfortable as she looked.</p><p>"So have you finalized your picks for quidditch yet?" She asked with a stretch, trying to deter him from asking any more questions about her meeting with Dumbledore.</p><p>Charlie sighed. "Not yet. I'm in a dilemma with who to pick for keeper. I want to pick Devon, but every time I try to write his name down on the roster I get sidetracked thinking about that third year, Oliver Wood."</p><p>Knowing who he ends up choosing in the long run, Hermione decided this was one thing she could reveal. She could help him with this decision and save him some time. "Do you want to know what I think?"</p><p>He cocked his head to the side as he looked at her. "I'm not sure I should take advice from someone who doesn't even like quidditch."</p><p>She leaned toward him to smack his arm, causing him to laugh and lean out of the way. "I may not like it, but that doesn't mean I don't understand it. And who knows, I could help you rationalize what you are already thinking and help you come to your decision faster."</p><p>"Alright." He grins. "Give it to me, what do you think I should do?"</p><p>"You should pick Oliver. He was slightly faster and had more confidence, not to mention younger."</p><p>Charlie's smile fades. "How is his age a factor? Plus, Devon is my best mate. He would be crushed if I chose a third year over him when they had the same stats."</p><p>"Well Avery is a shoe in for chaser." Hermione argued her point. "Meaning if you choose Devon over Oliver you would have a team made entirely out of seventh years."</p><p>"And what's wrong with that? Having an all seventh year team would make us stronger don't you think?"</p><p>"Well it would this year, but what about next year?" She tried to explain to him the importance of thinking in the long term. "You'd be leaving no experienced players and setting next years team up for failure."</p><p>Charlie threw his head back against the back of the chair with a loud groan. "Shit, your right."</p><p>"Devon will understand you don't want to leave next years team without a proper captain and that you need to think about the future of the Gryffindor team, not just the one present." Hermione continued to justify why that was the best decision. "You should just let him know your decision before revealing it to the rest of Gryffindor if you go that route."</p><p>"I know." He groaned again. "I didn't want to see it because I wanted to play with my best friend for my last year, but that's probably what's been nagging in the back of my head all day."</p><p>"So you're going to choose Oliver after all?" Hermione asked even though she already knew the answer.</p><p>"Yeah." Charlie sighed; sinking further into his chair. "I am. It's what's best for Gryffindor." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Thanks for the advice."</p><p>"See." Hermione gloated as she opened her book back up and flipped to the right page. "I can dislike quidditch and still be helpful."</p><p>He rolled his eyes at that, but clearly thought it was funny. "Right. I'll try to remember that."</p><p>"You should seeing as I am all knowing." She smirked, but her eyes staying focused on her book as she flipped to the next page.</p><p>"All knowing?" He decided to tease back. "Or just a know-it-all?"</p><p>Her eyes snapped back up to look at him with a clearly offended look on her face. "I am not a know it all!"</p><p>"Ooo. I think you're protesting a little too much." He grinned devilishly as he threw one of the small throw pillows at her. "See you tomorrow Jean." He laughed as he ran up the stairs to escape her wrath.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 9</p><p>Before Hermione knew it, it was September 19th; her birthday. She knew her ten year old self was currently running around Barnard Adventure Playground in London with her parents, but that memory still did not make today feel like her birthday. Her nineteenth birthday still should have been months away, not the mere weeks it had been since she arrived to the past.</p><p>She sighed into her oatmeal as she diced up a fresh peach directly into the bowl.</p><p>"You're looking kind of down today Jean. What's going on?"</p><p>Hermione looked up to see Charlie slipping onto the bench in front of her; his bag clanking to the floor as he dropped it carelessly. He was looking at her worriedly as he started to assemble his own breakfast.</p><p>"It's going to sound stupid." She grimaced as she poured a small amount of cream into her bowl before giving it a good stir.</p><p>"I promise not to judge." He said sincerely as he began to mash his fried eggs with the back of his fork; a morning ritual she had made fun of him for several times over the past two weeks.</p><p>She sighed again before dropping her spoon into the bowl. "It's my birthday."</p><p>"Your birthday?" Charlie let out one small laugh before catching himself. "Birthdays are suppose to be fun and happy days. There has to be more to it than that."</p><p>She shrugged her shoulders knowing she couldn't tell him that she was upset because it wasn't supposed to be her birthday today. "I usually get to spend my birthday with family or friends. I guess I'm just a little sad because it doesn't really feel like a birthday without them."</p><p>"And here I thought I was a friend." He said, faking being offended to cheer her up. "You sure know how to make a guy feel appreciated."</p><p>"You know what I mean." She rolled her eyes, but finally grinned a little.</p><p>"Yes, I do." He flashed a large smile as he took a bite of his breakfast. "So how old are you anyway?"</p><p>"Ten." She said facetiously.</p><p>"Oh, ha ha." He fake laughed. "Funny."</p><p>Hermione only grinned before shoving her spoon in her mouth.</p><p>"So since you didn't really answer me, I am going to assume you are eighteen."</p><p>"Now I know your mother taught you never to ask a lady her age Charles." She scolded him.</p><p>He groaned at her use of his proper name. "Please, for the love of Merlin, do not ever call me that again. I absolutely loathe being called Charles."</p><p>"Thanks for the heads up. I'll remember that for the next time you get on my nerves."</p><p>"If that's your intention than be warned; the next time you call me that I will literally tickle you until you can't breathe." He stared her down in such a way that she knew he was completely serious.</p><p>Hermione gulped before taking another bite of her oatmeal. "Fine. I won't call you Charles than."</p><p>"Good." He said as he poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice. "Now I think I have just the thing to cheer you up and make it feel more like your birthday."</p><p>"Oh, Charlie no!" She said almost mortified. "You really don't need-"</p><p>"I want to." He cut her off. "No one should feel forgotten on their birthday."</p><p>She sighed but nodded, knowing she couldn't backtrack and tell him it wasn't really her birthday. Also the idea of getting to spend more time with him didn't exactly make her want to decline his offer. "Alright. It'll have to wait until this evening though. I have another meeting with Dumbledore at one."</p><p>"You're not going to be leaving are you?" He suddenly got serious, remembering her saying goodbye to him just in case before the last meeting she'd had with the headmaster.</p><p>"No." She replied, flattered that he cared so much. "At least I doubt it. At best I'll just receive news about when I can go home."</p><p>"Oh. That's good I guess." He said after a short pause. "So... just out of curiosity, where is home?" He asked, realizing he didn't know all that much about her. "Are your parents there, or are they in trouble too?"</p><p>"My parents are safely hidden in Australia." She revealed, giving him at least a partial answer. "Are you sure though, don't you have quidditch practice keeping you busy today?"</p><p>"Yeah, I'm sure." He agreed, though shifted uncomfortably from her lack of a full answer. "I have the pitch reserved from eleven until three. Want to meet me outside the entrance hall at seven?"</p><p>"Sure." She said as she began to pack up her things. "I'm looking forward to it."</p><p>"Me too." Charlie said as he reloaded his now empty plate. "Happy Birthday Jean."</p><p>Hermione stood and placed her beaded bag over her shoulder with the intention of heading to the library until her meeting with Dumbledore and Mr. Harper. "Thanks."</p><p>"See you later Charles!" She bid as she ran off before he could carry out his threat from earlier.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>"Good work everyone." Charlie shouted at his team from his broom. "You're all looking really good out there. I think we can call it a day."</p><p>The seven players touched down to the ground and ran towards the sidelines to parch their thirst. Still in mid-September, it had been too hot of a day for the level of physical activity the captain had put them under.</p><p>"Two practices like this per week and that cup is as good as ours." Charlie smiled as the rest of the team began to gather their things.</p><p>Two by two the other six players headed toward the showers while Charlie turned toward the castle with the intention of washing up in the prefects bath instead. They had his favorite soap stocked in there that he wanted to use before his, dare he call it, date with Jean. He'd only made it twenty paces or so when he heard his name being called from behind him.</p><p>He turned to see the sixth year he had regrettably snogged after last year's final game. "Lilac?"</p><p>"Hey." She smiled vibrantly, as she finally caught up to him. "Looks like this year's practices are going well."</p><p>"They are." He replied, curious as to where she was going with this. "I'm hoping to win the cup again this year. Go out on a high note since it will be my last."</p><p>"I was just hoping the same thing." Lilac grinned flirtatiously as they walked. "Maybe if you do we can celebrate the same way we did last year."</p><p>Charlie stopped dead in his tracks at her insinuation, cringing at his previous self's lack of judgement in his post victory celebration. "Yeah I'm sorry about that by the way. I shouldn't have kissed you like that last year."</p><p>Her happy mood seemed to sour a little at his apology and she moved to stand in front of him; causing them both to come to a halt. "No need to be sorry Charlie. I quite enjoyed it. In fact, I was hoping we could do it again sometime." She stepped in a little too close for his comfort, resting her hand on his shoulder. "Now if you'd like."</p><p>He grabbed her hand gently and removed it before putting some more space between them. "This is exactly what I was worried about. I gave you the wrong idea."</p><p>"What do you mean?" She asked, now looking hurt.</p><p>"I was high on adrenaline after that big win last year. I wasn't thinking properly when I initiated that kiss. You were the first girl I ran into that seemed interested, and I went with it." Charlie tried to explain. "I really am sorry if I led you on, or made you think that it was something more than a one night thing."</p><p>"It's that new girl isn't it?" Lilac practically spat in her newfound anger. "Jean?"</p><p>He paused at her accusation. He grit his teeth as he tried to keep this from escalating. "Who I like doesn't change the fact that I'm not interested in repeating what we did last year."</p><p>"She doesn't even like you, you know!" Her voice raised at him. "She told me herself. She said she has someone waiting for her back home, and she'd never risk losing him for some fling with a jock like you!"</p><p>Charlie's face paled. He knew Jean was hiding something big and that she had joked that she wasn't single, but he hadn't imagined that she would speak about him like that; and to Lilac of all people. "Be that as it may, I meant what I said. I'm sorry if I led you on, but I have no interest in you. Romantic or otherwise. Now leave me alone."</p><p>He pushed passed her in a hurry, wanting to wash not only the dirt and sweat away, but his newfound bad mood down the drain with it.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>Hermione let the hot water drench her from head to toe so she could wash away all her own frustrations from today. Her appointment had not gone well and she was now looking at another eight months as an undercover student in this time. After the disappointing news, she was now looking forward to whatever it was Charlie had planned to cheer her up. She had decided to take a shower in the prefects bathroom to get ready while she waited.</p><p>Her mind wandered to the meeting she had just left as she continued to rinse the shampoo from her thick hair. Mr. Harper had met with his former colleagues and after much searching and deliberation over the past two weeks they had finally come up with a plan to get her home. They had tried to find usable replacement parts, but they could only duplicate the missing knob. Luckily the broken spinner had been repaired without needing new parts, but the real problem lied with the hourglass. It had been shattered beyond repair and lost too much time sand to be usable. Being the rarest and most temperamental part of the time-turner it was too risky to duplicate from another device. Only a bit of spellotape was placed on the crack to keep the remaining sand inside.</p><p>This meant that they could not repair her time-turner enough to get her back to a specific date of choice. With the damage done they could only send her forward in time by year; not by month, date, or time of day. The Department of Mysteries solution was to wait it out until the exact day and time that she had left from. Presetting the dial and the spinner, while using a specific spell would allow her to travel exactly eight years into the future. It was her only hope now, and all she could do was wait until just after midnight on May 3rd to be reunited with Harry and Ron.</p><p>A creak suddenly pulled Hermione out of her thoughts as the door to the prefects bathroom swung open and then shut back again loudly. The sound of footsteps let her know that someone else was now in the bathroom and hadn't yet realized she was there too.</p><p>'Crap.' She thought. She could have sworn she'd locked the door when she'd come in, but she must have been too distracted to have done it properly. She also wasn't even supposed to be in here since she technically wasn't a prefect yet, but the password of 'pine fresh' hadn't changed in over a decade and she didn't think anyone would be using it in the middle of the day anyway.</p><p>Carefully, she peeked her head out of the glass shower door and saw her only found friend of this time pulling his Quidditch Jersey off over his head. She just barely got a glimpse of his pale chest before she jerked her head back into the shower and closed the door. She had never been so thankful for frosted glass before.</p><p>"Charlie." She called out loudly, before turning the water off. "There's someone already in here."</p><p>Charlie, who had been running through his conversation with Lilac over and over again in his head, had not only not heard the sounds of the water, but he hadn't seen the clothes or bag on the bench beside the shower either. He had been completely unaware that he had company at all until he had heard he sound off his name being called yet again.</p><p>"Jean?" He turned around toward the sound of the voice. "What the hell are you doing in here?"</p><p>"I should think that was obvious." She called out to him with a hint of humor to her voice, not yet realizing he wasn't very happy with her.</p><p>"How did you even get in here?" He asked, unable to stop the malice from coming through his tone.</p><p>"The password wasn't exactly hard to guess." She lied. "But do you think we could have this conversation after I put some clothes on."</p><p>"Oh." He said dumbfounded, as he hadn't yet realized she was completely naked in the shower he was wanting to use. "Um, yeah?"</p><p>Hermione snorted at how uncomfortable he sounded. "I left both my clothes and my towel out there, could you turn around so I can fetch them please?"</p><p>"Sure." He answered, still frozen in place.</p><p>She opened the door a crack to peek out and make sure he wasn't peeking, but it turned out that he was still standing there shirtless and facing her direction. "Charlie? Can you at least pretend you're not trying to get a good look."</p><p>This seemed to pull him out of it and he immediately both turned around and covered his eyes. "Sorry." He called out bashfully.</p><p>The idea of him wanting to peek at her surprisingly didn't bother her, she realized while stepping out to retrieve her things. For a second she even considered telling him he could turn around again, but seeing the sheen of sweat dripping from the slight ripple of muscle that he had over the expanse of his back stopped her. He was quite good looking, but she knew he was practically a stick compared to how he had been just months ago at Bill and Fleur's wedding. 'It wouldn't be appropriate to lead him on though.' She thought as she wrapped her towel around herself before picking up her clothes and heading back to the cover of the shower.</p><p>"How'd your meeting go?" He finally recovered at the sound of the glass door closing back.</p><p>All he heard was a loud groan. "Not good." She replied as she pulled her underwear on. "The problem won't be rectified until May."</p><p>"Now I'm probably going to sound stupid." Charlie said, unable to stop himself as he turned back to face the shower. "But that makes it sound like you don't really want to be here. You don't, do you?"</p><p>Finally taking the hint that there was something wrong with him, she answered carefully. "It's not that I don't want to be here per say, it's just that I don't belong here and there are people who need me back home. I'm actually quite eager to get back nd make sure everything's okay."</p><p>"That wouldn't happen to be a boyfriend that your eager to get back to, would it?" He asked accusingly.</p><p>Hermione paused, stunned. "Boyfriend?" She asked, as she pulled her shirt on over her head. "Not to mimic your answer from a few weeks ago, but I don't have a boyfriend."</p><p>Charlie almost breathed a sigh of relief, but remembered Lilac's exact words. "Than why did Lilac tell me that you said, and I quote, 'you have someone waiting back home and you'd never risk him on a jock like me.'"</p><p>Hermione exited the shower, finally dressed and understanding what had him in such a mood. He looked at her expectantly, and like all he wanted was for her to tell him that it wasn't true.</p><p>"I'm not going to lie, there was sort of someone back home." She wanted to be honest, but seeing a small flash of hurt cross his eyes at those words almost made her want to take them back. "But it was never official, and it was never serious. I was attacked and forced to come here before anything could ever come of it."</p><p>"So he is the reason you're eager to get home?" Charlie asked, still sounding accusatory. "You want to pick up where you left off."</p><p>"No, he really isn't." Hermione replied, still being honestly; as finishing the war was the real reason she was eager to get back to Harry and Ron. "And as for Lilac, it seems we have both played right into her hand. When I said that, it was because she was being a right bitch and telling me to stay away from you. And now it seems she's used what I said when I was upset to get you riled up against me in return."</p><p>"Oh." Charlie paused to think about what she had just said before answering. "So you don't mind being here?" He finally relaxed and smiled a little, realizing she was right about Lilac trying to throw a wedge between them.</p><p>"I wouldn't necessarily say that." She returned the smile to let him know that they were on good terms again. "I miss home terribly."</p><p>"Oh." He looked crestfallen again.</p><p>"But." She continued in hopes that she could cheer him up again. "I have just been given word that I am stuck here for another eight months and the only reason I'm not completely dreading it is because of you."</p><p>He lit up like a kid on Christmas as he closed the distance between them. "So, you enjoy my company do you?"</p><p>Hermione snorted at his need for verification. "Do you really think I'd have agreed to spend my birthday with you if I didn't."</p><p>"No." He said as he stepped a little closer with a slight gleam of mischief to his eyes. "But now that I've calmed down I seem to remember a certain someone calling me an unmentionable name and then running away before I could reprimand them for it."</p><p>Her eyes widened in fear, remembering his threat from this morning. "Don't you dare Charlie Weasley!" She scolded as she backed away from him.</p><p>"I gave you fair warning." With a cheshire grin, he lifted his hands up to mock the tickling he intended to do as he followed her towards the back of the bathroom.</p><p>"But you're all sweaty... and I just got clean!" She screamed as she attempted to run around him.</p><p>"Doesn't matter." He said as he chased her, fingers dancing as they ran. "I'm going to get you for calling me you-know-what."</p><p>Hermione finally made it to the door, but she had not been quite fast enough as he turned her around and pressed her back to the door.</p><p>"You're in for it now." He grinned as he dug his fingers into her ribs.</p><p>"Stop it!" She screamed through her giggles. "You're getting your disgusting quidditch grime all over me."</p><p>"Than tell me you're sorry and you'll never call me that vile name again." He laughed as he continued his assault on her.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She laughed while trying to pry his hands away from her ribcage. "I'll never call you Charles again!"</p><p>He chuckled at her as he ceased his attack, placing one hand on the door beside her head instead. "Promise?"</p><p>"Promise." She agreed, trying to catch her breath. "No matter how annoying you might be."</p><p>He placed his other hand on the other side of her head, caging her in. "Don't push me Walters."</p><p>Hermione suddenly smirked, placing her hand against the middle of his bare chest, causing him to shiver slightly from the contact.</p><p>"Actually, I think I will." She said before gently pushing him back.</p><p>He went willingly, stepping a few steps backward to give her some space. He wanted to see what she was planning to do.</p><p>With her left hand still in place on his chest, she grabbed his wand out of his back pocket with her right and used it to accio her things. Charlie watched her silently, clearly intrigued.</p><p>"So, I'll see you at seven?" She asked as she adjusted the strap of her bag over her shoulder.</p><p>"On the dot." He said as she slipped his wand back into his pocket without breaking eye contact.</p><p>"Can't wait." Hermione grinned before removing her hands from his chest and making her exit.</p><p>When she was gone, Charlie was left grinning like a fool alone in the prefects bathroom. It wasn't until ten minutes later, when he finally made it into the shower himself that he realized he'd had her alone and naked in the same room as him, and hadn't even tried to make a move.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>Curious as to why he had chosen to meet outside, Hermione exited the castle just before seven. She could see the sun slowly going down in the distance, hovering just over the tops of the trees. Luckily, the blazing heat from earlier in the day had finally cooled as a mild breeze blew in from the north.</p><p>"I see you made it." Charlie said as he came up from behind her.</p><p>Hermione turned, surprised that he had come from that direction. She had expected him to exit from inside the castle, as she had.</p><p>"Ready for the best, last minute birthday celebration you'll ever have at Hogwarts?" He asked as he held out his arm to escort her.</p><p>She slipped her hand into crook of his elbow, enjoying the warmth he seemed to radiate. "I'd argue that you couldn't possibly know that." She said trying to goad him playfully as they began their track down the hill. "But then again you seem to have covered all your bases, as this will be my only birthday here. So technically you're not wrong...though by that logic it will also be my worst birthday at Hogwarts as well."</p><p>"Do you always have to be so skeptical about everything?" He scoffed, though still smiled his usual grin. "Couldn't you just say, 'why yes Charlie, I am ready for the best birthday I've ever had.'"</p><p>Hermione snorted, as they walked. "We will just have to see about that." She said as she wrapped her cloak a little tighter around her neck. "Where are we going anyway?"</p><p>"Just a little further." He said as they passed Hagrid's cabin, the sounds of Fang's booming bark coming from inside.</p><p>Seeing nothing but the treeline in front of them, she raised one eyebrow at him. "You aren't taking me into the forbidden forest are you?"</p><p>She had definitely been in there more times than she preferred already, and had no plans of letting him drag her in there on her birthday; fake or not.</p><p>Charlie laughed. "No I'm afraid we'll just have to wait for my birthday for that excursion."</p><p>"Well you can count me out of that one." She replied to his sarcasm.</p><p>"Contrary to what you believe Jean, you are absolutely no fun." He said as they came closer to his described destination. "I have a nice little surprise set up just before the forest though, right where the treeline meets the lake and the grounds end. It's probably my favorite spot in all of Hogwarts."</p><p>"You really like the outdoors don't you?" She asked, trying to get to know him better; though already knowing he was quite the outdoors man based on things she'd heard over the years.</p><p>"I'd have pitched a tent and slept out here years ago if I could." He answered. "But McGonagall threatened she'd have my hide if I didn't stop trying to sneak out. There was also the incident where I transfigured the window ledge of the boys dorms so it was large enough to fit a sleeping bag."</p><p>Hermione gaped at him. "You did not try to transfigure a window ledge so you could sleep outside!"</p><p>"I did so." He claimed. "Third year. But Miles Stanguard told on me. He was worried that it would collapse or disappear if I put any weight on it... turned out he was right."</p><p>"It's a good thing he did! What if you'd rolled over in your sleep and fallen off?"</p><p>"I totally could have. Surprised I still made prefect after that to be honest." They both laughed at his memory. "Anyway, we are here."</p><p>Hermione took her eyes off of her companion and looked ahead once more. By the looks of it, he had set up a cozy little fireside picnic; though there were no flames lit in the firepit yet. There was a cushioned bench set up just in front on the nearest tree, and facing the water of the Black Lake. She could see why this would be his favorite spot as it had a nice view of the castle, but was secluded enough for a bit of privacy.</p><p>A large red balloon had been tied to the right hand back corner of the bench, with a pile of fluffy throw blankets leaned against the side. There was also a basket filled with what looked like lots of food items sitting just underneath the bench, almost begging to be dug into. She smiled at the sight of it; just as Charlie sent some flames at the logs in the pit with his wand.</p><p>"I know it's not much." He said once the flames began to flicker. "But it's the best I could come up with on short notice."</p><p>"Don't sell yourself short." She said as she let go of the crook of his arm to step in front of the warmth of the fire. "It looks wonderful."</p><p>"Good." He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "But to be safe I am going to take this down."</p><p>Charlie walked around to the back of the bench and untied the ribbon keeping the balloon in place; setting the string under a nearby rock instead. Her side of the bench looked much less festive now.</p><p>"To be safe from what?" She asked with one eyebrow raised. "It's just a balloon."</p><p>"Yeah. About that." He answered as he continued to make sure the balloon was secure. "I may not be as good at transfiguration as it seems in class."</p><p>"Really?" She asked, crossing her arms. "Everything you transfigure in class seems to come out as perfect as mine. How did you get through O.W.L.S and on to N.E.W.T level if you're not as good as it seems? McGonagall only accepts E or higher."</p><p>His face turned a little redder. "Yeah, I'm really good at the assignments. Transfiguring things into specific other objects isn't the problem. My issue just happens to be that what I transfigure doesn't seem to want to hold it's new shape for very long. That's why Miles snitched on me. He knew as soon as I put weight on that window ledge it would revert to its original state and I'd end up plummeting to my death."</p><p>"Ah, the unspoken rule of Gryffindor." She said, trying not to laugh at him. "Only snitch on each other if it's life or death."</p><p>"That's exactly why I never held a grudge against him." He nodded. "Owe him my life I do."</p><p>Hermione's laughter broke through at that as she tilted her head back "So what was the balloon before?" She asked as she finally took her seat on the right side of the bench where the balloon had been tied.</p><p>Charlie plopped down on the bench beside her, a bashful grin gracing his lips. "A rock."</p><p>Hermione only laughed louder, covering her mouth with one hand.</p><p>"That's why I took it away to be safe." He said laughing with her. "I didn't want it to hit you on your pretty little head when my spell wore off."</p><p>His hand came up to tuck one of her stray curls behind her ear, before letting his fingertips slide down her cheek to her chin. The combination of his words and his touch made her cheeks turn pink just as his been moments earlier.</p><p>Giving her time to recover from his obvious flirting, he leaned forward to grab the basket before rummaging through it for a minute. Hermione took a deep breath to try to calm the sudden butterflies that had begun to flutter in her stomach. 'Maybe it wasn't a good idea to be alone with him after all.' She thought to herself as she busied herself by grabbing the topmost blanket from the pile and smoothing it over her lap.</p><p>"Thirsty?" He asked as he finally held up a large burgundy colored bottle.</p><p>Hermione's eyes widened as she realized that he was not holding up a decanter of pumpkin juice. "You're not suppose to have that!"</p><p>Charlie scoffed at her goodnaturedly. "You do know we are of age right?"</p><p>"Yes, but it's still against the rules to have alcohol on the grounds."</p><p>"You sound like Percy." He snorted as he poured two goblets half-full of the wine. "Legally, there is nothing wrong with us sharing this lovely bottle I confiscated off one of the Slytherin's last week."</p><p>"Using your patrolling powers for good instead of evil I see." She joked, though did take one of the glasses he extended to her.</p><p>He stuck his tongue out at her playfully before holding his glass up. "Happy Birthday Jean." He wished her as they clinked their goblets together.</p><p>"Thank you Charlie." She said, before taking her first sip. "For everything really. You've really made my stay here much more pleasant than I thought possible when I first arrived."</p><p>"Of course." He answered as he handed her a red cloth napkin. "Wouldn't want you spending your birthday with anyone else would I? Now, I couldn't sneak a whole fully prepared dinner down, so this will have to do."</p><p>He began to pull some sliced bread, meats, cheeses and fruit out the the basket; laying them out on a platter he had set to hover between them. Hermione's eyes lit up at the sight of the steam still coming off the bread.</p><p>"Stop selling yourself short." She said as she dug in. "It looks so good."</p><p>"Glad the time I spent preparing for this evening wasn't completely wasted." He said as he started to assemble a cheese sandwich for himself. "So what's up with you and food anyway?"</p><p>"What do you mean?" She asked confused, though unable to help the moan that escaped as she savored the taste of the warm buttery bread she had just taken a bite of.</p><p>"Everytime I see you with food you look like it's the best thing you've ever had in your entire life. Or like you haven't seen proper food in years and you can't wait to devour what's in front of you." He tried to explain. "And don't take this the wrong way, but the look you get just before taking a bite sometimes borders on erotic."</p><p>Hermione turned to face the lake instead of him as her eyes widened. She was embarrassed by how she knew she must look, but also worried that her actions would clue him in on how deprived of food she really had been for so long.</p><p>"I told you not to take it the wrong way." He said trying to backtrack. "I think it's cute really. How much you seem to love food I mean. Most girls act like it's a crime for them to adore eating."</p><p>"Well not me." She claimed as she shifted back to her previous position; stuffing more bread into her mouth. "Especially when it comes to baked goods."</p><p>He laughed and relaxed against the backrest of the bench. "I just realized that I don't really know that much about you. I seem to tell you a lot about me, but you never seem to share facts about yourself in return."</p><p>"Yeah...Sorry." She said nervously. "It's just that I'm suppose to be keeping a low profile is all."</p><p>"I'm not asking for your life story, or even where you were before you came to Hogwarts." He said. "I just want to know what you're like. Interests, hobbies, even dreams maybe. Whatever you feel like you can share. I just want to know that this friendship isn't completely one sided."</p><p>"It's not Charlie." She tried to reassure him. "I really do enjoy your company."</p><p>"Alright then Miss Walters." He said taking the bait. "Than what did you like to do before you came here?"</p><p>Hermione pondered the question for a moment to see what she needed to leave out. "Well, I love to read."</p><p>He snorted at her. "Oh, really! I hadn't guessed." He said sarcastically, causing her to smack his arm. "What else?"</p><p>"I enjoy knitting."</p><p>"Knitting?" He smirked a little. "Okay, mum."</p><p>She smacked him again but laughed. "I'm going to take that as a compliment."</p><p>"Okay, so I know you hate Quidditch, but what about flying in general?" He asked, trying to find out more things about her.</p><p>"Ugh." She voiced her dislike. "Not even a little bit."</p><p>"Oh, come on!" He said flabbergasted, refilling his goblet with the wine. "How can you not like flying?"</p><p>"I don't like heights."</p><p>"Maybe you just need someone experienced to ride with." He suggested, hoping that maybe he could get her to fly with him sometime.</p><p>"Been there, done that." She continued to snack on the food he'd brought. "Still don't like it."</p><p>Charlie paused for a moment, deciding whether or not he wanted to steer the conversation into a different territory.</p><p>"Well I'd still like to get you on my broomstick one day." He finally said teasingly, raising one eyebrow to see if she'd catch his innuendo.</p><p>Her cheeks turned bright pink again, causing her to turn her head away in mortification. "It's not just brooms. I genuinely dislike all forms of flying." She claimed, trying to move the conversation away from anything as intimate as his suggestion.</p><p>"And how often have you rode anything that wasn't a broom?' He asked disbelievingly.</p><p>"Let's see." She held up her fingers to count them off. "Hippogriff, Thestral, Thestral again, and most recently a dragon."</p><p>"You what?" Charlie asked, suddenly sitting straight up. "No you didn't. There's no way!" He sputtered in disbelief.</p><p>Hermione began to brush some of the breadcrumbs off her robes. Maybe she shouldn't have told the biggest dragon lover she ever knew about that last one. Especially when it wouldn't even happen for another eight years.</p><p>She decided she would finally give the poor guy some of the answers he was looking for, but not before grabbing another one of the throw blankets from the ground and snuggling underneath it. "Would you like to hear how it happened?"</p><p>"Of course I do." Charlie topped his wine back off, before refilling hers. "I have a feeling I'm going to need a bit more alcohol for this one though."</p><p>Hermione laughed. "Alright well it was actually just the day before you met me."</p><p>Charlie's eyebrows raised to a comical level. "Really?"</p><p>"My two best friends and I were trapped in this underground...place." She said, deliberately not revealing that it was Gringotts. "There was this poor blinded and chained dragon down there, it must have been kept there for years because it was so skinny and so pale."</p><p>Charlie was on the edge of his seat, looking both enthralled by her tale and angry at the condition the dragon had been kept in.</p><p>"My guess is that it was suppose to deter us from escaping, but we knew that if we stayed where we were, we would end up dead anyway. So we broke the chains keeping it a prisoner, jumped on its back, and rode it out of the tunnel system surrounding where we were being kept."</p><p>He looked as if he had a thousand questions, but being borderline obsessed with dragons he asked the most obvious one first. "So how did you get off the dragon without it roasting you?"</p><p>"We kept very still on it's back so it wouldn't notice us and finally after several hours it got thirsty. When it flew close enough to the surface of the water we made a jump for it."</p><p>"Wow." He said flabbergasted by her story. "What was it like? Touching it I mean."</p><p>Hermione strained to remember. She had been so frightened, yet so relieved to have escaped capture by the death eaters again that she hadn't thought that much about it.</p><p>"Magical." She finally put a word to it. "I could almost feel it's magic humming just below the scales. It was wondrous, beautiful, and frightening all at the same time."</p><p>Charlie looked at her in awe. "You don't know this about me, but dragons are my absolute favorite creatures. I'm kind of obsessed with them really. I hope I get to touch one someday. To feel what you felt."</p><p>Hermione smiled a very Mona Lisa smile at him. "I'm sure you will."</p><p>He smiled back before reaching into his inside robes pocket and fidgeting for something. "Well speaking of dragons." He handed her a poorly wrapped package. "I obviously didn't have a chance to go shopping so I decided to give you something of meaning instead."</p><p>She took the rectangular package out of reflex. "Oh, Charlie you didn't have to get me anything. This was already more than enough." She gestured around to the fire and the basket.</p><p>"I know." He admitted. "But I wanted to. Now open it."</p><p>He grabbed her free hand and placed it on top of the ribbon binding the paper together.</p><p>Hermione undid the bow and let the paper fall open. Revealed was a thin book titled The Pygmy Dragon's Princess that looked as if it had been read at least a dozen times. The cover showed a small green dragon napping on a girls lap while little puff floated out of its nostrils, and a castle sat in the background. It was clearly a children's book.</p><p>"What's this?" She asked curiously, opening the cover carefully to the front page.</p><p>"My favorite book from when I was a kid." He explained, finally getting chilly enough himself to steal some of the blanket she was under. "I knew you liked to read so I figured I'd pass this on to you. I've read it enough times by now."</p><p>"I can't take this." She said uncomfortably, trying to hand it back to him. "It means too much to you."</p><p>He moved his hands away so she couldn't give it back to him. "I want you to have it. Please. I think you'll really enjoy it."</p><p>"Alright. If you insist." She said, finally laying it down in her lap. "So what's it about?"</p><p>He grinned, clearly excited to reveal the plot. "So you know how in lots of fairy tales the prince slays the dragon and saves the princess?"</p><p>"Yes." She couldn't help but return the grin.</p><p>"Well in this one, it's the opposite. The dragon is her pet she keeps in the woods, until one day her parents decide to marry her off to some far away prince. So the dragon, who misses his princess, travels to the far away land, defeats the prince, and saves the princess so they can live happily ever after."</p><p>Hermione laughed. "I love it. I can't wait to read it and tell you what I think."</p><p>"I hope you enjoy it as much as I always have." He said, draping one arm over the back of the bench behind her; trying to snuggle a little closer to her under the blankets. "So tell me about your friends you rode the dragon with. What are they like?"</p><p>Hermione was sure she must look very uncomfortable, though she wasn't sure if it was from just his question. "Trouble." She finally answered.</p><p>He looked at her curiously. "Are you going to elaborate on that?"</p><p>"Well I've never really gotten along with other girls very well." She admitted. "So my two best friends are actually boys. We've been best friends ever since our first year and even though I adore them I'm the responsible one who usually has to tag along on their adventures to make sure they don't get into too much trouble."</p><p>"So is that how you ended up here?" He asked trying to piece the puzzle of her life together. "You followed them to someplace dangerous and got into too much trouble?"</p><p>Hermione had to pause again; technically he wasn't wrong. "Sort of. This time we didn't have a choice. It was be proactive and make a move, or the group of bad people would come for us instead."</p><p>Charlie stared at her, finally realizing that the trouble she was in was more serious than he suspected. "So if you got away, what happened to your friends?"</p><p>Hermione sighed, taking another drink of the wine. "I got separated from them. As far as I know I was the only one who almost got captured."</p><p>"Is that why you are so eager to get home than?" He asked, even more curious than before. "You don't know for sure if they are okay or not?"</p><p>"Pretty much." She admitted solemnly, looking down at her hands that were fidgeting with her glass.</p><p>"Sorry I brought so much of it up." He said, trying to change the subject now that she was looking as glum as she had at breakfast this morning. "I know it must be hard having to pretend everything's okay when it clearly isn't. I'm just really curious about you is all."</p><p>She forced a smile as she let her eyes meet his once more. "I get it. I'm just not ready to tell you everything yet."</p><p>"Say no more than." He squeezed her knee once through the blankets before reaching down to rummage through the basket again.</p><p>As he did, Hermione took the time to look up at the view again. The sun was now setting; casting the most beautiful glow of fall colors that danced against the surface of the lake. Now, even more than before, she could tell why Charlie loved this spot so much.</p><p>Taking the opportunity to not only start up a new conversation, but also embarrass him a bit; she turned to Charlie with a newfound cheesy grin. "So does this tactic usually work on all the other girls you bring here?"</p><p>"Other girls?" He looked confused as he speared two oversized marshmallows on sticks. "Jean I've never brought anyone else here, except Devon maybe." He shrugged.</p><p>"Oh." She said, now the one embarrassed instead. "It's just that it's so beautiful and private, and with a sunset this romantic I figured it would be the perfect place to bring dates."</p><p>"I'll have to remember that." He joked before handing one of the sticks to her. "I've never really had to work that hard to get girls to pay attention to me though."</p><p>Hermione placed her marshmallow just over the fire so it could roast, as he did the same. "Oh, and why is that? Natural ladies man are you?"</p><p>"I guess." He laughed at her teasing as he used his marshmallow to push hers away from the best spot in the firepit.</p><p>"Well it is a nice place. I see why you like it so much." Hermione pushed his hand to the side so she could claim her marshmallow's spot in the fire back as she laughed at him.</p><p>"I like being surrounded by nature." He replied, finally accepting defeat and letting her have the perfect marshmallow roasting spot. "And this is the only spot in all of Hogwarts where you have the lake directly in front of you, and the forest directly behind you. So when you have both a sunset and a breeze on a night like tonight, it's like being touched by all four elements at once."</p><p>"Air, water, earth, and." She turned her head to look him, their eyes locking. Somehow they had ended up shoulders touching, faces only inches apart.</p><p>"Fire." They both said at the same time.</p><p>They stayed perfectly still; continuing to stare at each other in the heat of the moment. But soon Charlies eyes flickered down to her lips, as if silently begging her to let him kiss her. He hadn't even noticed that his marshmallow had fallen off the end of his stick, and was now lost to the flames below.</p><p>Hermione froze in place, unable to look away from him. She hadn't realized how much she wanted him to kiss her until he was seconds away from touching his lips to hers. As he leaned in slowly, she flashed back to her last kiss. The kiss she hadn't thought about in weeks, but had been shared with his much younger brother. She knew in that moment that if they kissed there would be no going back to being just friends. He would want more.</p><p>Hermione couldn't let him get that attached to her. Things were already too complicated, not to mention the fact that she was leaving in less than eight months.</p><p>Unable to read her train of thought, Charlie continued to lean in until their lips were only an inch apart. The closeness making them both almost dizzy from the tension.</p><p>"It's late." She said suddenly, turning away from him in panic.</p><p>Charlie was now the one to freeze in place. "Oh." He finally answered, clearly confused and slightly hurt from her sudden rejection.</p><p>"We should probably head back to the castle before Filch sees the fire and comes to give us detention." She dropped her stick to the ground, still feeling panicked about what had almost just conspired.</p><p>"Right." He said, still obviously disappointed by her reaction. "Well, uh. I hope you had a good birthday after all." He added awkwardly.</p><p>Hermione felt horrible. He had just planned and done more for her birthday than Harry or Ron had done in years. And what had she done in return? Mucked it all up by leading him on.</p><p>"I really did." She said trying to mend his now slightly bruised ego. "This was all very sweet of you."</p><p>"I'm glad." He said, throwing his portion of the blanket off himself and standing up. He clearly wanted to put some distance between them.</p><p>Taking a leaf out of his book, Hermione removed the two blankets from her lap and stood; folding them slowly one by one.</p><p>"You should go ahead and head back to the castle Jean." He suggested, attempting to sound friendly but his tone still dripped with disappointment anyway. "I'm going to clean up and stifle the fire."</p><p>"Oh." She said, unsure of what to say. "Are you sure?"</p><p>"I'm sure." He forced a smile. "Happy Birthday Jean."</p><p>She returned the forced smile with one of her own. "Thanks Charlie."</p><p>Charlie turned his back to her so he could gather everything back into the basket. She watched him for a moment before coming up with a plan of her own. Hermione didn't want to leave the wonderful night it had been on a bad note, so she picked up The Pygmy Dragon's Princess and approached him again.</p><p>She tapped him on the shoulder from behind; waiting for him to turn around to face her.</p><p>"Hmm?" He asked, noticing she was very close to him again.</p><p>"I just wanted to thank you for the book." She said, holding it up with a genuine smile this time. "It was a really thoughtful gift."</p><p>"Oh." He said, unsure of what to think with her mixed signals. "You're welcome."</p><p>Hermione knew that he was being sincere, and that he had gone to a lot of trouble for her tonight. So even though she knew that she couldn't lead him on, she also knew that she couldn't leave him with nothing either. So with both thoughts in mind, she leaned up on her tip toes and placed a soft slow kiss to his jaw.</p><p>"Goodnight Charles." She whispered against his ear softly, causing him to shiver.</p><p>Without waiting for a reply, Hermione made her exit; jogging up the path that led back to the castle.</p><p>And as Hermione disappeared into the night, Charlie couldn't help but think that maybe he didn't loathe being called Charles quite as much as he thought; at least not when it was whispered so sweetly in her voice.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer - JK owns HP. Always.</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 10</p><p>The days seemed to run together now that Hermione had settled into a routine. Now that she had gotten used to living a life in the past, she realized that her unique situation could be very beneficial to the future. Dumbledore had been right in suggesting that she use this time wisely. She alone knew not only the day of the the final battle, but also the exact location. She could use this time to plot and set traps for the fateful night to come. There was no way she was going to let this opportunity go to waste, so for the next eight months it was her goal to figure out how to get Nagini. She needed to figure out not only how they were going to get close enough to her, but also how to defeat her without getting bit themselves before Voldemort could get to Harry.</p><p>It wasn't just the final battle that she was going to benefit from either. Since she was expecting to be here for almost the whole year anyway, she might as well get the best grades possible. If she had high enough scores, than maybe the ministry would let her count this as her seventh year. It's not like there wouldn't be record of her being here at the ministry anyway, the report Mr. Harper had taken should be proof enough. And If they did accept this year as her last she'd be allowed to take the N.E.W.T.S with the rest of her classmates once the war was won.</p><p>Graduation bells and a defeated dark lord were still not the only things that had her spirits up. Things between her and Charlie hadn't seemed to change after her rejection of his attempted kiss. The day after her birthday she had gone down to the great hall for breakfast, scared that he would go back to avoiding her. Thankfully this was not the case, as he had acted as if nothing had almost happened between them. He had continued to be the charming and rather flirty friend that she desperately needed here in this time.</p><p>Though there were many things keeping her spirits up, there was still one thing that seemed to weigh heavily on Hermione's mind. She had been thinking a lot about their almost-kiss. Most days she would catch herself wishing she had kissed Charlie that night, or at least wondering how the night would have ended if she hadn't moved away. She wondered if they'd be dating by now, or if she'd have at least told him the truth about her. Other days she ended up wondering if it would have matched up to the kiss she shared with Ron. But no matter where her mind ended up taking her; she'd always remind herself how much of a bad idea it was to get any closer to him.</p><p>It didn't matter that she liked him as much as he seemed to like her. Not when the truth was that she was leaving in seven months. Once the unspeakables sent her forward to her own time, Jean would be absent from his life for eight years. It wasn't fair to let him get attached to her. Not when she was already set to leave him soon.</p><p>So in the end she decided to stay as friendly as possible to Charlie while she was here. She just wouldn't let it get past friendship. She just wouldn't.</p><p>XXXXXXXXX</p><p>It was another hot and humid day, which was a rarity for Scotland this early in October. Being stuck out in the greenhouses for herbology didn't seem to help the seventh years stay cool either as they re-potted some month old wiggentrees that Professor Sprout had just acquired before the start of term.</p><p>Hermione wiped some sweat from her forehead as she helped her Slytherin partner Mason Flint, the older brother of Marcus she assumed, lift a particularly wide trunked one into its new home. The heat had caused her to resort to using a pencil as a replacement for a hair-tie. She'd stuck it through a messy bun that now sat atop her head as to keep her hair from sticking to the back of her neck. Wearing long sleeves had also been a bad idea with weather as hot as it was outside, but she hadn't seen any other option since she needed to keep her scar covered.</p><p>"Nice job Walters." Mason said to her as they filled fresh soil in around the roots. "You're not as useless as I expected."</p><p>"Um, Thanks?" She replied as she tried to ignore him.</p><p>Being partnered with Mason had not been pleasant, though not quite as bad as she'd expected either. He had been civil enough as far as the rivalry that was ever present between Slytherin and Gryffindor would allow, but that still left much to be desired. At least her alias as a half blood had deterred him from calling her a Mudblood.</p><p>"I see that almost everyone has repotted their wiggentrees." Professor Sprout spoke up above the chatter among students. "Now can anyone tell me the importance of these soon to be monstrous trees?"</p><p>Hermione had to stop herself from shooting her hand in the air out of habit. One of the Ravenclaw's was called on to answer instead.</p><p>"The leaves are used in lots of healing potions." The blonde girl answered.</p><p>"Correct." confirmed Professor Sprout. "But what else?"</p><p>It was Charlie's turn to answer this time. "Once matured they are guarded by Bowtruckles. They tend to flock to them because anyone who touches the trunks of these trees will be protected from dark creatures as long as they are touching it."</p><p>"Good answer." She agreed. "Five points to Ravenclaw, and another five to Gryffindor. Now let's finish up. It's too hot to be out here much longer and it almost time for dinner."</p><p>As Mason stepped to the side to re-hydrate, Hermione took the chance to look over at Charlie. He had been partnered with Devon, as usual, and they seemed to be struggling to get their rather lopsided sapling to stand up straight. Everytime they thought they had it, it would lean to one side as they added the dirt around the base.</p><p>After watching their repeated failure, she laughed as she finally approached the clearly frustrated pair, whose tree had just completely toppled over onto its side. Devon quickly picked it back up before Professor Sprout could see the small damage they had done to the side of the rare protective tree trunk.</p><p>"Ya goin to laugh Walters, or are ya goin to help?" Devon said as he struggled to hold the sapling upright.</p><p>"What does it look like?" She mocked him as she bent down to pick up the shards of wood that had splintered off during the fall.</p><p>"Oh thank Godric we finally have someone competent over here." Charlie grinned teasingly at his best friend.</p><p>"Oh to hell with botha ya." Devon cursed.</p><p>"Hold it steady now." Hermione ordered as she slipped the wood shards under the uneven base as a shim. As class was almost over, they had obviously needed a third party to show them what the problem was. "That should keep it from tipping over again until we get the dirt in place at least."</p><p>Charlie grabbed the nearest sack of soil and began filling the pot with it, starting around the roots. "Thanks Jean, you're a lifesaver."</p><p>"More like a gradesaver, but I'll take it." She grinned as she subconsciously rolled up the sleeves of her robes to help him. Half of the class, including Mason, had already left; as they had completed their task for the day.</p><p>She scooped some more soil out of the bag with her bare hands as Devon continued to hold the tree up. Her and Charlie took turns scooping and packing the dirt around the base of the tree until it seemed to be secured in place.</p><p>"Finally!" Devon breathed a sigh of relief as he was actually able to let go of it without it toppling over again. He stepped back to look at it for a moment before going to find some water and wash his hands.</p><p>Hermione laughed at him again as she continued to smooth the dirt around in the pot.</p><p>When she finally turned to face Charlie again, her good mood instantly vanished. He had frozen in place with his hands still in the dirt. His eyes were locked onto the exposed flesh of her inner forearm.</p><p>"What the hell is that?" He asked in horror.</p><p>She looked down to see that she had unintentionally exposed her arms up to her elbows, giving him a clear view of her very offensive scar. She had only had it a few weeks now, and there had been so much going on after leaving Shell Cottage that she still did not always remember it was there. The memory of how she got it was still too horrible to think about, so she tended to cover it with long sleeves so neither her nor anyone else could see it.</p><p>"Nothing!" She gasped as she quickly pushed her sleeve back down.</p><p>Hermione stood with the intention of fleeing, but Charlie was too quick for her. He grabbed her other arm by the elbow to stop her from escaping him.</p><p>"That is not fucking nothing." He whispered in her ear angrily; though she wasn't sure if it was directed at her or at whoever had carved her arm up like a jack-o-lantern.</p><p>Hermione looked around the room thoroughly to make sure no one else was paying attention to them. Luckily, anyone who was left was either finishing with their trees or cleaning up. "It doesn't matter."</p><p>"Like hell it doesn't!" He exclaimed still at a whisper. "How did you get that? And I want some answers this time."</p><p>"Not here Charlie." She warned, glancing around again to make sure they were still being ignored. "Please not here."</p><p>"Alright." He agreed, still fuming but understanding her need for privacy. "But I'm not letting you out of my sight. Not until you've explained how you ended up with that despicable word carved into your arm."</p><p>"Okay." She nodded, knowing she wouldn't be able to evade him after this. "I...fine."</p><p>"Directly after class. We can go somewhere where we won't be overheard." He said before passing her angrily to wash his hands at the sink.</p><p>Hermione's lip trembled as she attempted to keep herself calm in front of the other students. She couldn't believe she had been so careless as to roll up her sleeves; especially when she was right in the middle of a busy class full of students. She was just lucky it had only been Charlie who had seen it.</p><p>She joined him at the sink so she could wash the dirt from her hands as well. She took the faucet right next to his to show him that she wasn't going to try and make a run for it. As much as she knew she shouldn't say too much, she was tired of keeping secrets from him. She'd only been here a month, yet she was already struggling to keep it all in. It didn't seem fair that the weight of the world had fallen onto her shoulders alone.</p><p>As she continued to scrub her hands clean, Professor Sprout dismissed the rest of them, deeming their trees were well potted enough. Charlie laid his hand gently on her shoulder as she dried her hands on a fresh towel, signaling he wanted her to wait until the rest of the students were gone.</p><p>"I'll catch up to you later Devon." He called out to his friend.</p><p>Devon smirked at the pair, assuming something much different was about to happen between them before he headed out the door with the rest of the class.</p><p>Once they were alone, Charlie grabbed her hand and began to pull her out the door. "I think I know a place not too far from here."</p><p>Hermione only nodded silently as she followed along. As soon as they entered back into the castle from the side entrance he pulled her halfway up the empty winding stairwell that lead to the second floor.</p><p>Before she could even start to explain herself, he forced her back against the wall gently and pushed her sleeve up so he could take a closer look at the scar. He stared at it for a moment before taking a deep breath.</p><p>"I'm sorry I overreacted earlier." He said calmly. "Or not exactly overreacted, as I'm not sure there is an over reaction to seeing something as horrible as this. But I'm sorry I seemed so angry with you. It's not your fault obviously. You're not the one who carved such a heinous word into yourself. I'm just really worried about you." He sighed as his thumb rubbed over her marred skin. "And now I'm really scared for you too."</p><p>Hermione almost didn't know what to say to that. She knew he liked her and that they seemed to get along well together, but she hadn't realized how much he genuinely cared for her. "It's something I try not to think about."</p><p>"I can imagine." Charlie said, still rubbing it up and down with his thumb. "It must have been horribly painful."</p><p>"It was." She admitted, now trying not to flashback to the memories of it happening.</p><p>"But why would someone do that to you?" He asked. "I thought you were a half blood?"</p><p>"That was just part of my cover story." She whispered finally being honest with him. "Dumbledore thought it best to keep my identity hidden. I'm actually muggleborn."</p><p>"Oh." He said, before pausing for a moment. He was clearly stumped at what he had just learned about her. "That...that doesn't matter to me. I just..." He rubbed his neck as he searched for the right words. "How did this happen?"</p><p>"The boy who broke my wand." She tried to decide how much she wanted to reveal. "It was his aunt. A few weeks before I came here. "</p><p>"Well that explains who and when." He said still in shock at what she had been hiding from him. "But why?"</p><p>This was it. Not the moment where she would tell him where and when she came from. She didn't want to overload him with all of it at once. But this was the moment where she would finally tell him why she was in so much danger. The moment where he would actually understand that her troubles were not to be taken lightly.</p><p>"Because of Voldemort." She said firmly.</p><p>Charlie flinched at the name. "Don't. Don't say that!"</p><p>Hermione was trying to prove a point. "Why not?"</p><p>"Because." He faltered. "It's bad."</p><p>"And why is it bad?"</p><p>He looked even more confused. "I don't know. It just is."</p><p>"I can actually tell you why." She explained. "It's because people are scared that he's still out there somewhere. That he is just biding his time until he can regain his strength. And deep down I think you know that too. That he isn't really as dead as it seems. That's why you flinch everytime you hear his name."</p><p>"I don't know how you can possibly know that." He looked skeptical. "But what does that have to do with you getting that scar?"</p><p>"Everything. My friends and I discovered not only the reason for his continued survival, no matter how dismal his current existence is, but...also how to take him down for good." She finally started to reveal what she had swore she'd never tell anyone. "There are still witches and wizards out there loyal to him, and those that are didn't take too kindly to us trying to rid the world of him for good. Especially a muggleborn."</p><p>"You're serious aren't you?" He asked almost in shock. "The only reason you're here is because you stumbled across something so big and dangerous you had no one to turn to but Dumbledore himself."</p><p>She nodded as she looked down to see his fingers tracing the letters etched into her skin.</p><p>"That's insane Jean." He shook his head at her. "Why on earth would you and your friends think three teenagers would be a match for whatever is left of you-know-who's death eaters?"</p><p>"Because we were the only ones with the opportunity to do so." She fibbed, trying to avoid steering the conversation to Harry Potter and how she knew him. "And because if he comes back muggleborns like me don't stand a chance."</p><p>He let go of her arm and stepped back. "Well I guess I understand why you've been so secretive now."</p><p>"I wanted to tell you." She admitted. "But I had already promised Dumbledore that I wouldn't tell anyone, and that I would keep a low profile."</p><p>"And you just broke that promise for me." He cringed as he brought one hand to his forehead. "And that's why Dumbledore has been helping you so much!"</p><p>"I don't regret telling you Charlie." Hermione stepped forward and grabbed that collar of his robes with both hands. He seemed to be the one who needed comfort this time. "I trust you."</p><p>"You do?" He seemed to relax ever so slightly at that.</p><p>"Yes." She confirmed. "I just need you to promise me that this stays between us now. No one else can ever know."</p><p>Charlie nodded as his eyes flickered down to their joined hands. "I promise."</p><p>"Thank you." Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as she pressed her face into the middle of his chest.</p><p>"It stays between us." He reiterated as he released her hands to wrap his arms around her back. "But I still don't fully understand how you ended up with that word on your arm."</p><p>Hermione sighed. She'd hoped he wouldn't have pressed farther.</p><p>"We went into hiding last August when we discovered what needed to be done, but eventually we got caught." She explained vaguely. "Since I was the muggleborn, the lady in charge chose me."</p><p>"Chose you?" Charlie slipped his right hand into the hair at the base of her neck so she'd look at him again. "Chose you for what?"</p><p>She stared at him for a moment; hating to admit the truth, but knowing he needed to hear it. "To be the one they tortured."</p><p>Hermione could physically feel him stiffen. He had to grit his teeth and look away to keep himself calm. It was clear he was trying to stop the rage that was bubbling beneath the surface from spilling over.</p><p>"They did more than just carve that word into your arm didn't they?" He finally asked after he'd calmed down enough to speak.</p><p>She nodded. "They started with the cruciatus." This information caused him to growl under his breath. "Over and over again until I thought I would pass out from the pain. But when I still didn't talk, she resorted to carving into my arm with a cursed dagger."</p><p>Charlie had to lean his forehead against hers for balance as he took several deep breaths. "I can't believe you had to go through that."</p><p>"Sometimes I still can't believe it either."</p><p>"It's a miracle you survived." He said astonished. "How did you get away?"</p><p>"We were friends with a very loyal house elf." Hermione smiled in remembrance of Dobby. "My friends were able to disarm everyone in the room and the elf apparated us to safety."</p><p>He shook his head back and forth at her. "Do you realize how lucky you are?"</p><p>"I do actually." She nodded. "I know I should be dead right now."</p><p>"If I ever meet these two friends of yours I'm going to ring their necks for getting you into that kind of trouble." He cursed.</p><p>For obvious reasons, this made her laugh.</p><p>For other obvious reasons, her laughter annoyed him.</p><p>"There's nothing funny about any of this Jean." He scolded her, sounding frustrated.</p><p>"Trust me." She replied, resting her arms against his chest and stroking her fingers up in down in a calming manner. "There really is."</p><p>He slid his arms back around her as he stared down into her eyes. "There's more you're not telling me isn't there?"</p><p>"There is." She confirmed, not feeling the need to lie to him anymore. "But I don't think you can handle anymore tonight."</p><p>He paused in thought for a moment before cradling her head back against his chest. "Alright Jean. I'll leave the rest of your tale alone for now."</p><p>"Thank you." Hermione replied as she closed her eyes; savoring the feeling of his arms around her.</p><p>After a conversation that heavy, it seemed they both needed the physical comfort of each others embrace. Neither of them seemed interested in the dinner that was about to be served, or in moving from their secluded spot. All alone in the stairwell on the west side of the castle they stayed, as the rest of its inhabitants were making their way to dinner. Unaware that in a few years time there would be worse things to worry about. Unaware that a war was coming. Unaware that it would tear many of their families apart.</p><p>As the pair stood in silence, Hermione couldn't help but feel that by telling Charlie a portion of her secret, that at least a little bit of the weight on her shoulders had been lifted.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP. Always</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 11</p><p>"I see why you were sorted into Gryffindor."</p><p>Hermione looked up from her book. She had been sitting with Charlie at a table in the back of the library for just over an hour now; attempting to research Nagini while he worked on one of his essays. It had been over a week since their conversation in the stairwell, and in retrospect it seemed to have only caused them to grow closer to one another.</p><p>"And why is that?" She asked as she flipped to the next page.</p><p>"Because only someone as brave and foolhardy as a Gryffindor would run headfirst into a scuffle with a group of dark wizards on the off chance of defeating you-know-who once and for all." He answered as he dipped his quill back into the inkpot. "I can now see why we get a bad rap sometimes if I'm being honest."</p><p>"Well I can't really argue with that." Hermione responded as she closed her book, realizing it was of no use. "But I also think that you would have done exactly the same thing I did if you'd been in my shoes."</p><p>"You're probably right, as usual Miss Know-it-all." He beamed at her from across the table.</p><p>She gave him a nasty glare in return before pulling her beaded bag towards her and rifling through it. "I'm going to ignore you now."</p><p>He chuckled twice before continuing to scribble on the parchment in front of him.</p><p>After a few more minutes Hermione pulled out one of the books she'd summoned from Dumbledores office just after his funeral last year. Her intention was to see if there was anything important referenced in them that she could look up while she was here.</p><p>"Where the hell do you keep pulling this stuff from?" Charlie asked, flabbergasted by the size and quantity of the books and other items he'd seen her pull from her bag over the past few weeks.</p><p>Hermione sighed, realizing that if she told him about the charm on her bag it would probably only lead to him asking more questions. "Undetectable extension charm. Everything I own is in this bag."</p><p>'Is it really?" He asked, looking intrigued. "How'd you get one? Aren't they kind of expensive?"</p><p>She looked slightly offended that he thought she would spend money on something she could do herself, but she brushed that aside realizing he hadn't known her that long. "I didn't spend any money on it actually. My mother bought me the bag at the mall a few years ago and I added the charm on it myself."</p><p>"You can do extension charms?" Charlie asked looking both shocked and impressed. "That's really advanced. We aren't scheduled to learn those until after the holidays and from what I hear most people can't do them at all."</p><p>She opened the new book and started scanning the pages, hoping he'd let her go back to reading in silence soon. "Yes, well, right before we went on the run last year I started gathering everything I thought we'd need. There was too much stuff to carry around with us everywhere so I read up on the undetectable extension charm and tried it out. It worked, and now I have everything I need with me at all times."</p><p>"Impressive." He said, as he scrawled another sentence at the bottom of his essay. "I still think you're strange though." He added with a grin.</p><p>Hermione snorted as she flipped another page of the book. "Still not a bad thing?"</p><p>"Still not a bad thing." He confirmed as he shook his head at her.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>Three hours later and Hermione was still in the library. Charlie had long since left, having needed to run some new strategies over with the chasers and Oliver Wood for their upcoming match against Slytherin. He had bid her a goodnight before leaving her to her studies.</p><p>Once she'd been left alone, she'd gone straight into the restricted section to pull any books that looked as if they could give her an idea for the origin of Voldemort's most beloved companion. She made sure no one had been in the area before digging out her key and slipping past the gate designed to keep all but a select few out. She had discovered recently that not all the books in the restricted section were there because they were full of dark magic. Some of these books were so old and rare that they needed to be locked away to avoid any further damage and handling than necessary.</p><p>Hermione browsed through the few hidden stacks, dragging her pointer finger along the spines to familiarize herself with the titles. After several minutes of browsing she finally decided to sit in the darkest, farthest back corner of the restricted section. She hadn't visited this part of the library before, and it made her shiver in discomfort; as if she had entered an area that didn't want her there.</p><p>Along the bottom shelf there were over a dozen books she had never heard of, all looking more sinister or gruesome than the next. One seemed to freeze her insides as she moved her finger across it's spine; she avoided touching them unnecessarily after that.</p><p>Three books from the edge, there was finally something that piqued her interest enough to risk grabbing a hold of. It was unnecessarily thick and green, and seemed to bulge in the center. There were no words along the spine, which seemed strange, but she slid it from it's spot anyway.</p><p>Hermione hesitated for only a moment before opening the cover. What laid inside turned out to not to be a book at all, but rather just a cover for the real book that had been hidden inside it. Not yet knowing exactly what she had just unearthed, she very carefully extracted what looked to be a several hundred year old handwritten manuscript. The insides contained what she assumed used to be thick parchment, but was now so yellow and withered that she was sure the book would have disintegrated entirely by now if it wasn't for the magic that must still be holding it together.</p><p>Even more carefully she looked it over, not yet realizing the importance of the discovery she had just made. Etched into the old leather cover seemed to be the faded words 'The Founders.' and underneath that '1177.' So even more carefully, as she assumed 1177 was the year it had been written, Hermione opened it and scanned her eyes over the long faded letters.</p><p>The first ninety percent of the book contained details of Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw's lives of before and after their founding of Hogwarts. She found it to be a very interesting read, and assumed that the knowledge in this book had been long lost after the eight hundred years since it had been written. She would be surprised it even Dumbledore knew about the existence of this book.</p><p>It was, however, the last ten percent of the book; which contained the information on Salazar Slytherin, that had Hermione's full attention.</p><p>
  <em>The youngest daughter of Salazar Slytherin only visited her father once after his abrupt departure from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This information comes from the late witches nephew Sanderson, to whom she revealed the horrifying details to before her death in 1142. I interviewed Sanderson three years ago in my research of the four founders.</em>
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  <em>For several years, Sylvia Slytherin made several attempts to contact her father Salazar without success. What was even more peculiar than his disappearance was the fact that each time she sent an owl off it would vanish as well; never to be seen again, much less return with word from her father.</em>
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  <em>Having not heard from him in over a decade, Sylvia finally received a charmed origami bird with an apology for his longtime absence along with an invitation to visit him at his new residence. Included with this message had been a small unknown item that he intended for her to use the following weekend as a portkey to his location.</em>
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  <em>Sylvia was both relieved and nervous to finally find out what had happened to her long lost father, and all the owls she had ever sent him over the years. Knowing that this might be her only chance to find out what had come of him after all this time, she decided to take the included portkey in the hopes that she could convince him to return home.</em>
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  <em>When she arrived, she knew instantly that something was off. The portkey had dropped her off in a dark room with no windows which was only lit by two candlesticks on the far wall. A single door made entirely of iron was positioned between the two wall mounted candles, and seemed to be the only exit.</em>
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  <em>Without delay, Sylvia forced the door open magically with the intention of finding her father and questioning him. She was unfortunately met by the hissing and slithering of three different vipers entering the room instead. Being the only child of Salazar Slytherin to not possess the gift of parseltongue, she began to panic and backed up as far into the room as she could.</em>
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  <em>Just when she thought she was doomed and that her father had lured her to her death, she heard a familiar voice hissing back at them from the adjoining hallway. The three vipers retreated from her frightened form instantly and took their place on either side of Salazar along with the other five snakes that were already accompanying him into the room.</em>
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  <em>After greeting his frightened daughter lovingly,he informed her of his travels that had finally lead him to an island just off the shore of Brazil. The island had been mostly abandoned when he arrived due to the vast amount of snakes that lived there, hence the appeal for Salazar to travel there. But in turn, his arrival caused the snakes to over double in quantity to where there were over five snakes per square meter. Something about Slytherin's presence seemed to not only control the snakes on this strange island as was expected, but it also instinctively urged them to reproduce at an accelerated rate. He admitted to her that the only other inhabitants, who had been muggles, had all died from snakebites shortly after his arrival.</em>
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  <em>Sylvia left the same day she arrived, both horrified by the island and worried for her safety if she spent anymore time there. She received only two more messages from him after this, both of which were delivered by charmed origami, which she assumed was because the snakes fed off any owls that made it onto the island.</em>
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  <em>Other information gathered from my interview with Sanderson revealed that the rest of the castle had been crawling with his obedient snakes as well. It was the belief of his Aunt Sylvia that Salazar had built his own castle into the rock that the island was mainly made up of. There were few windows, which had only been placed to the front of the castle, but her view out each one had revealed the sight of an unending mass of snakes. They seemed to be everywhere: slithering on the ground, curled up under rocks, and hanging from trees,</em>
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  <em>It was also her belief that Salazar died on that island, surrounded by the snakes he obviously loved more than his family.</em>
</p><p>Hermione's mind began to race at an accelerated pace as she reread the script again in an attempt to understand it better. No one had ever found out what had become of Salazar Slytherin after he left Hogwarts on less than friendly terms. Had his family known but kept it hushed due to the madness he seemed to fall into after his departure? And not only that, but who had this mysterious writer been who had discovered his whereabouts, and why had they never passed the word along to future generations?</p><p>With about a million new questions going through her brain at once, Hermione did the only thing she could to try and ease at least one of her questions. She pointed her wand at the handwritten book and muttered the words that would at least tell her who had hidden this museum worthy find. "<em>Tandum tange.</em>"</p><p>The spell that would reveal who had last touched the book did as she intended, and several small letters floated out in front of her until they arranged themselves into the name of the person who had hidden this book inside a false cover, and left it where he thought no one would ever find it.</p><p>
  <em>Tom Marvolo Riddle</em>
</p><p>Hermione gasped and covered her mouth with her free hand as her eyes traveled over the hovering letters again. "Voldemort." She whispered to herself.</p><p>He must have discovered this book at some point while he was attending Hogwarts and hidden the knowledge here. He must not have wanted anyone else figuring out what his greatest ancestor had been up to before his death. It seemed Voldemort's greatest weakness was the pride he had in himself. He seemed to keep making the mistake of underestimating the cleverness and drive of those who oppose him.</p><p>Not knowing how, but feeling as if this was somehow a clue to her search on how to win the war, she tucked The Founders gently back into its hiding spot before scurrying out of the restricted section.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>Hermione made her way swiftly down the halls; wanting to get back to Gryffindor tower before curfew passed. The entire way she couldn't stop thinking about the book she had found. She wanted to go to Dumbledore, she was sure that with his help she could piece together how it fit into the bigger puzzle of Voldemort's past, but she knew that wasn't an option. Dumbledore hadn't known about the book or the island off the coast of Brazil when he was helping Harry, so he couldn't know about it now either.</p><p>Half way down the second floor corridor, she was suddenly pulled from her thoughts by a loud bang and some yelling. 'Someone is getting into some serious trouble' she thought as she noticed that it was Filch's office just up ahead.</p><p>"I'm going to string you two boys up by your ankles!" She heard the old man roar from the other side of the door as she approached. "That's the second one tonight!"</p><p>"Two boys?" She whispered to herself before realizing exactly who it was getting into trouble.</p><p>Hermione sighed as she pulled out her wand. 'It wouldn't really be changing anything to help them out a little would it?' she thought. 'They are going to be in tons of trouble over the next few years so it surely wouldn't change anything important to help them just this once, right?'</p><p>She pointed her wand at the office door and swiped it back and forth a few times before concealing her wand again. Without hesitating she knocked on the door just above the paint she had just left upon it. The yelling ceased, and was replaced by stomping that only seemed to get louder as Filch made his way to the door.</p><p>"What is it?" He practically yelled at her as he threw the door open.</p><p>"Um, Mr. Filch sir." She said, tucking a curl behind her ear. "I'm new here so I'm not extremely familiar with things yet."</p><p>He looked annoyed at her disruption. "Get on with it, I have some maiming to do here!"</p><p>"Of course, sir." She decided to get to the point, though she did notice Fred rifling through one of Filch's file cabinets while his back was turned. "Well it's just that I passed that poltergeist thing I've been warned about a few minutes ago in the hall, and he seemed to be behaving himself. Except that, as I passed your door." She grimaced as she gestured to the other side of it. "Well I thought you ought to know."</p><p>Looking panicked, Filch entered the hallway and closed the door most of the way. On the other side in bright yellow paint was a painting of what was obviously a butt and it was labeled as Filch's face. Underneath that was a signature that said -your friend peevsie.</p><p>"Peeves!" Shouted a very red faced Filch as he slammed the door open again. "You two boys get out of here!" He continued to scream, though Hermione could see Fred zipping up his bag after obviously tucking something into it. "And I don't ever want to see you in this office again!"</p><p>Hermione wanted to laugh at that, knowing full well that this would not be their last time in the caretakers office, it would in fact practically become their second home at Hogwarts. She was somehow able to hold back the laughter and stepped back to let everyone make their exit from the room.</p><p>"And you girl." He rounded on her. "I see you're a Gryffindor too, so I want you to escort them back to your common room; as to make sure they don't set off anymore dungbombs on the way."</p><p>"Of course." She nodded as she gestured for them to join her in the hall. "Good luck on your hunt."</p><p>Filch only nodded at her in annoyance before heading down the hall in the direction she had just come from.</p><p>"Come on boys." She gestured in amusement at the twins.</p><p>They ran out of the room towards her, both with especially large grins for two boys who had just been in big trouble with someone as scary as Argus Filch.</p><p>"Thanks for that." Young George said as they ran ahead. "We really owe you one."</p><p>"Yeah we do." Chimed in Fred as he tried to keep up with his brother.</p><p>"Let's just get back." She grinned at them as she motioned them forward.</p><p>"Say." Fred spoke up again as they made their way up the moving staircase. "Aren't you Charlie's girl?'</p><p>"Wh-what?" Hermione stuttered, clearly taken aback by his question. "I'm not his girl." She claimed calmly.</p><p>"That's not the way we wee Weasley's see it." George kept pressing on.</p><p>"Yeah." Fred added. "If you're not his girl than why is he always following you around?"</p><p>"Oh he does not!" She tried to brush it off.</p><p>"Lost puppy he is." George grinned.</p><p>"Too right he is, George." Fred grinned back at his twin.</p><p>"We're just friends." Hermione claimed, glad to finally have arrived outside the fat lady. "Opaleye."</p><p>She shoo-ed the two boys into the common room before they could protest anymore. "Now do try to stay out of too much trouble." She bid them once they were tucked safely inside.</p><p>"Oh don't worry." Fred's grin grew deviantly.</p><p>"We will." George promised, though his gleaming eyes told a different story. They cackled before running up the stairs to their dorms, though George did throw a 'thanks again' over his shoulder as they left.</p><p>She shook her head at them goodnaturedly as they went; arms crossed as she watched them go.</p><p>"Jean?" She heard from behind her.</p><p>Hermione turned to see Charlie approaching her from the other side of the common room. "Yes?"</p><p>"Was that Fred and George you just arrived with?"</p><p>Hermione snorted and nodded her head. "Yeah, I just got them out of a spot of trouble with Filch, so he asked me to escort them back as a deterrent from setting off anymore dungbombs."</p><p>Charlie groaned and covered his eyes with one hand. "Thanks for that."</p><p>"No problem."</p><p>"Where did they even get dungbombs?" He asked aloud to no one in particular.</p><p>She snorted again. "It's Fred and George. Do you really want to know how or why they get hold of anything?"</p><p>He laughed at that. "I guess not. But if I don't know I can't stop them from getting anymore now can I?"</p><p>"I think we both know that they would just find another way if they really wanted to." She said, knowing his brothers probably just as well as he did. "But I'll leave that mystery to you. I'm off to bed myself now."</p><p>"Oh." He said, looking disappointed that she was calling it a night. "Well, there was something I wanted to ask you, but, uh, it can wait until tomorrow."</p><p>"You did?" She looked nervous as to what it was he was wanting to ask her. "Are you sure?"</p><p>"Yeah, it's silly really." He tried to brush it off. "I'll see you tomorrow though?"</p><p>"Of course." She smiled. "Goodnight Charlie."</p><p>"Night, Jean." He bid her in return before scurrying off to find his friends instead.</p><p>She stared after him, slightly confused for a moment before moving to go up the stairs to the girls dorms.</p><p>When she arrived less than a minute later, the seventh year girls room was a bustle with the other girls getting ready for bed. She tried to discreetly make it to her four poster as chaser Avery Dawson babbled to her friend Jasmine about the practice they had just returned from, but Laura and Sarah caught up to her just as she sat on her mattress to unload a few things from her bag.</p><p>"Hey, Jean." Laura greeted her warmly as the two girls approached. "Were you off at the library again?"</p><p>Hermione nodded. "Yeah I was doing some research for an extra project I'm working on."</p><p>"I know you feel like the new girl and all, but you can always join Sarah and I instead of hanging out with Charlie and Devon all the time."</p><p>"Something tells me she enjoys spending time with Charlie though." Sarah smirked knowingly.</p><p>"Well I figured that." Laura scoffed at her friend. "But she doesn't have to spend time with only boys. Surely she must long for at least a little feminine interaction."</p><p>"Speaking of which." Sarah ignored her friend as she plopped down belly first on Hermione's bed, "Has Charlie asked you to go with him to Hogsmeade yet?"</p><p>"Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked confused as she scooted over slightly to make room for the two friendly roommates. "Oh, um no."</p><p>"Well try to act surprised." Laura chimed in as she sat more gracefully on the other side. "Since Sarah here has gone and ruined it for him."</p><p>"What makes you two think he's even going to ask me?" Hermione asked. "We're friends, so it's likely he assumes I'd tag along with him and Devon."</p><p>"You hear that Laura? She's in denial." Sarah sang with glee at her best friend.</p><p>Laura laughed. "Seriously Jean he's practically in love with you."</p><p>"Oh he is not!" Hermione claimed, though her face did burn slightly at the thought of it being the truth. It was the second time that night she'd been bugged about him.</p><p>"He is soo!" Laura continued to laugh. "He's practically been glued to your hip since the moment you arrived here, or hadn't you noticed?"</p><p>"Not to mention the looks he's always giving you when you're not looking." Sarah cut in before Hermione could answer. "I mean I never even saw him look at Heather St. Claire the way he looks at you."</p><p>"He doesn't look-" Hermione started to say before all of her sort of friends words registered in her brain. "Wait, who's Heather St. Claire?"</p><p>The two girls giggled at her in a knowing way before the more mature one answered. "Heather St. Claire was a seventh year Ravenclaw when we were just little fifth years. She was the most beautiful girl in the entire school, blonde hair, hazel eyes, and pretty much every guy fourth year and up wanted to date her."</p><p>"Yeah, and everyone thought she was going to choose one of the seventh years, mainly Bartholomew Cuffe who's father practically runs The Daily Prophet, but instead little miss perfect set her sights on Charlie." Sarah continued.</p><p>"So they dated?" Hermione asked, trying to sound nonchalant about the information. She had remembered him mentioning dating an older girl back when they first met, but to actually hear about the girl and her infamous beauty made Hermione feel that familiar sting of inadequacy.</p><p>"They dated the entire year, only breaking up because she was graduating and he still had two years left." Sarah confirmed.</p><p>"Oh." Was all Hermione could come up with to say after hearing about his last serious relationship; the sting of jealousy burning hotter in her chest.</p><p>The two friends looked at Hermione for a moment, reading her reaction to what they had just told her. She may be a good actress when her and her friends are in danger, but that seemed to not be the case when it came to matters of the heart.</p><p>"But you don't need to worry about that." Sarah spoke up again, obviously trying to cheer her back up. "As I said earlier, he never looked at Heather the way he looks at you."</p><p>Hermione blinked rapidly a few times before shaking it off. "Oh I'm not worried. Charlie can date whoever he wants." She said in an attempt to try and convince not only them, but herself as well. "He's just a friend. That's all."</p><p>Laura and Sarah gave each other a smirk, as if telling each other telepathically that she was still in denial, but luckily for Hermione they finally dropped the subject of her and Charlie. They spent the next half hour instead telling her all about Sarah's longtime crush on Devon that had ended after an awful and sloppy kiss back in fourth year before they had all finally called it a night.</p><p>A long night in which Hermione kept trying to piece together how Slytherin's snake island fit into the complicated background of Voldemort, but getting distracted by thoughts of Charlie and his ex-girlfriend instead.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP; Always.</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 12</p><p>(October 28th, 1989)</p><p>It was Thursday afternoon, and Hermione was starving. Since her arrival to the past two months ago she had gained back most of the weight she had lost while on the run, but that still didn't stop her from looking forward to each wondrous meal served in the great hall.</p><p>As she left the History of Magic classroom, as Professor Binns was still droning on about Goblin rebellions, her thoughts were on the hot soup and freshly baked bread she planned on eating for lunch. And because she was paying more attention to food than to the heavy bustle of other students around her, she didn't see the flash of pink that suddenly crossed in front of her; nor did she hear the loud 'Wotcher!' that was shouted out as a warning.</p><p>Hermione was brought crashing back to reality as she felt her foot get caught in the strap of someone else's bag. She shrieked as she lost her balance and toppled over; barely catching herself with her hands as she hit the stone floor.</p><p>"Oomph." She said to herself as she regained her senses. She did a once over of herself to make sure she was okay before looking up at the person she had collided with.</p><p>"Sorry about that." The hufflepuff girl with bubble-gum pink hair said as she kneeled down to help Hermione gather her misplaced things back up. "I'm such a klutz! Wasn't paying a lick of attention to where I was going."</p><p>"No, it's-" Hermione started to say before realizing who it was she had just ran into. "Tonks?"</p><p>She couldn't believe she hadn't realized Tonks would be here too, and had to repress the smile itching to come out at the sight of another familiar face. Like Charlie, she was much younger than the last time she saw her; with a paler face and shorter by an inch or two as well.</p><p>"Yeah?" Tonks said with a smile as she handed one of her books to her. "Have we met before?"</p><p>"N..No." Hermione stammered. "I've just heard of you is all."</p><p>"Oh?" Tonks looks surprised. "All good things I hope."</p><p>"Yes of course!" Hermione assured her as she finished gathering the rest of her things and placed the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "I'm new here this year and you were pointed out as a metamorphmagus."</p><p>"Yeah, I get it from my mum's side." She confirmed as they both stood up and brushed the dust from their knees.</p><p>"Well I love the pink hair." Hermione complimented her honestly. "It suits you perfectly."</p><p>"Really?" Tonks asked with a large smile; fingertips coming up to touch the tips of her own hair. "Thanks!"</p><p>"Jean!" Charlie suddenly called from down that hall.</p><p>Hermione and Tonks both turned at the sound of his voice.</p><p>"Hey!" He said as he approached. "I was hoping I'd run into you before lunch." He suddenly noticed the girl beside her. "Oh, hey Dora."</p><p>"Hey Charles!" Tonks responded, looking glad to see him. "Long time no see."</p><p>"Ugh, you know not to call me that." He cringed.</p><p>"Just like you know not to call me by my first name either." She teased him.</p><p>"Touche." He sighed but nodded. "Anyway, I didn't know you two knew each other."</p><p>"Oh we don't." Tonks said. "Just met actually. After I tripped her by accident."</p><p>Charlie chuckled. "Why am I not surprised?"</p><p>"Oh shut up!" Tonks smacked his arm. Hard. Causing Hermione to snicker behind one hand at them.</p><p>"You both okay?" He asked rubbing the spot she'd just hit, though still trying to show he cared even if he clearly liked to pester the both of them.</p><p>"Peachy." Tonks replied goodnaturedly. "Anyway, I got to run. Nice to meet you Jean." She nodded at the Gryffindors. "Catch you later Charlie." She bid over her shoulder, leaving Hermione and Charlie alone in the hallway.</p><p>Charlie snorted at his retreating friend. "A bit of a mess isn't she?"</p><p>"A little." Hermione agreed, knowing the woman quite well. "But I like her."</p><p>"Yeah, she's great." Charlie agreed, as he placed one hand on her back to steer her toward the great hall. "Our mum's are friends so I've known her practically forever."</p><p>"Oh, That's nice." She replied simply, as to not give away how much she already knew.</p><p>"Anyway." He changed the subject as they continued on. "I don't know if you heard, but the students get to visit the village of Hogsmeade on designated weekends."</p><p>'Uh, oh.' Hermione internally cringed. This is what Sarah and Laura had warned her of. He was about to ask her to go with him. And as much as she would love to spend another day alone with him, she knew she shouldn't. Not only was she forbidden from purchasing anything while she was there, but going would mean they were in a relationship, and starting a relationship that was doomed to end in only six months was not something she wanted to lead him into unknowingly.</p><p>"Yes." She answered promptly. "The girls were telling me about it a few nights ago."</p><p>"Well, I know the village like the back of my hand." He started to turn slightly pink. "And since you've never been before I just thought maybe you might want to go."</p><p>It was cute how nervous he was.</p><p>"With me, that is." He added for clarity.</p><p>"Oh." Hermione said, cringing as they walked on in solitude. "Charlie that's really sweet of you to invite me and all, but I'm not allowed."</p><p>He looked disappointed, but quickly tried to hide it. "Oh, why not?"</p><p>"Dumbledore's orders." She lied. "Because of that whole keeping a low profile thing."</p><p>"Yeah, Of course." He shook his head slightly, as if cursing himself for not thinking of that already.</p><p>"It sounds nice though." She added in an attempt to make him feel better.</p><p>He smiled slightly at that as they joined the rest of the students who were already loading up their lunch plates. "Yeah... Guess I'll just be stuck with Devon's handsome mug instead."</p><p>Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "How terrible." She added sarcastically.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>That evening, Hermione had her notes spread out on one of the larger tables in the common room. Since most of her friends were at quidditch practice, and several other students off to watch it for the evening, she had decided to take advantage of the rare peace and quiet by getting as much of her homework done as possible.</p><p>Though there were a few other students around, she was still surprised to see Fred and George huddled up by the fireplace. They usually weren't in the common room this early, and also they liked to watch their older brother's practices so they could get tips for next years tryouts.</p><p>In fact, for once they were being quiet; only snickering at each other every once in a while. This honestly worried her, as that could only mean they were up to something.</p><p>So knowing that leaving them unsupervised was a disaster waiting to happen, and also curious as to what it was they were up to, Hermione set her quill down so she could watch them from afar. Their backs were turned to her so she could easily watch them without them realizing it.</p><p>They seemed to be playing with a very large piece of parchment. Parchment that Fred was currently poking at with his wand. After a few seconds his face turned red and George laughed at him; though quietly and behind his hand.</p><p>Getting an eerie feeling, Hermione decided to move in closer. She grabbed one of her smaller books and moved to one of the sofas in the middle of the room; acting as if she was just changing positions.</p><p>Now that she was a bit closer she could hear just a few hints of what they were whispering to each other.</p><p>"...insulting…"</p><p>"...but genius…"</p><p>"Agreed….but still."</p><p>"...makes me wonder who Moony….and Prongs are?"</p><p>Hermione froze. 'Moony? Prongs?' She asked herself. 'Lupin and James Potter?'</p><p>And then it dawned on her.</p><p>"They must have the map." She whispered to herself.</p><p>Knowing she needed visual confirmation, she closed her decoy book and approached the pair slowly as to not startle them.</p><p>"Are you two actual staying out of trouble this evening?" She asked them in as friendly of a voice as she could muster.</p><p>The twins jolted, having not expected to be interrupted at all, much less by their brothers friend. George scooted the map under his bag, slowly as to not draw attention to it, but not before Hermione was able to sneak a peek at it.</p><p>Scrawled in familiar writing were the words: Padfoot thinks these wee scrawny gingers are indeed up to no good.</p><p>But Prongs has to ask, is it enough?</p><p>Hermione wanted to laugh. She had always known that Fred and George had stolen the map from Filch's office when they were first years, but it was funny that she was actually able to witness it. She had also always wondered how they figured out how to use it, and by the looks of things they were close. It looked like they just had to prove to the imprints of the Marauders that they were indeed troublemakers and they would then be handed the instructions.</p><p>"Trouble?" Fred asked, looking like that cat who ate the canary. "Us?"</p><p>"Never." George added, looking relieved now that he had the map hidden.</p><p>"You must have the wrong twins." They said together as if that line had been rehearsed several times.</p><p>"I'm sure." Hermione snorted. Those two had not changed one bit over the years. "Working on homework are we?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah." George agreed.</p><p>"Just finished actually." Fred added.</p><p>Hermione glared at them disbelievingly. "Mhm, I'm sure." She said as she turned to go back to her makeshift desk. "Well, have a good night boys."</p><p>"Goodnight Charlie's girlfriend!" They both said together.</p><p>Hermione turned to glare at them. "I am not his girlfriend." She said sternly.</p><p>"Riiight." George rolled his eyes as they both stood and gathered their things.</p><p>"We'll be sure to tell him that." Fred snickered.</p><p>And before she could respond they had both run up the stairs to their dorms to escape her watchful eyes.</p><p>"Boys." She huffed under her breath as she began to clean up her mess on the table.</p><p>And as Hermione cleaned her mind began to wander.</p><p>It wandered to thoughts of all the times her and her friends had used that map Fred and George had just discovered. The map that she still currently had hidden inside her beaded bag, alongside Harry's invisibility cloak. It had been nice of those two to have given it to Harry even though they still had two years left when they passed it on. It had saved them from getting into trouble loads of times over the years.</p><p>And then her mind wandered to the working of the map. Of how it showed where everyone was and how it specifically labeled everyone's set of footsteps.</p><p>And then Hermione froze again, though this time in horror.</p><p>If Fred and George figured out how to use that map they would see her on it.</p><p>And because the map never lies, they would see that her name was not Jean Walters, but Hermione Granger.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP: Always</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 13</p><p>(Saturday, October 30th)</p><p>Charlie was mashing his fried eggs with the back of his fork again; the bright yellow yolk bursting and flowing it's way across the stark white plate.</p><p>As usual, Hermione turned her nose up in disgust at his morning breakfast routine. She wasn't fond of eggs as it was, and to have any part of them undercooked made her want to gag.</p><p>"Are you sure you can't come with us?" He asked as he tried not to laugh at the look on her face.</p><p>Though she knew she'd be missing out on a fun day with someone she cared deeply for, Hermione did the responsible thing and shook her head. "You already know I can't. It's too risky."</p><p>He sighed in disappointment. "Yeah, I know. It makes me feel better if I ask though."</p><p>"It makes you feel better to ask a question you already know the answer to?" She looked at him mockingly.</p><p>"Well when you put it that way." He scoffed before mixing the whites with the runny yolk, causing her to turn her head away so she wouldn't have to see it. "Is there anything I can bring you back at least? A favorite candy perhaps?"</p><p>"Hmm." Hermione's eyes twinkled at the idea of being brought sweets later. She'd thought a lot about Honeydukes while her and the boys had been in hiding. "A box of sugar quills."</p><p>"Alright." He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I think I can snag one of those."</p><p>"Thanks." She grinned. "Sweets do come second to baked goods after all."</p><p>He shook his head at her with a snort. "Typical Jean and her food."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>After breakfast, Charlie bid her a good afternoon as he headed toward the entrance hall with Devon. As the pair of them turned out of sight, Hermione made her way back up to Gryffindor tower alone.</p><p>She normally would have headed straight to the library to do more research, but after realizing the twins had discovered the marauders map she knew she needed to go keep an eye on them instead. If she didn't get to them before they fully discovered it's secrets, there was no doubt in her mind that they would see the name Hermione Granger at some point before she made it back to her own time.</p><p>Her first instinct had been to steal the map. If they didn't have it, they couldn't see her name on it. But as soon as that thought crossed her mind she squashed it back down; that was something that would change the past too drastically. The map was a large part of what had made Fred and George who they were when she met them in their third year; so that meant stealing it from them was out of the question. And not only that, they needed it now so they could eventually pass it on to Harry.</p><p>After weighing several options she decided to play it by ear. She'd already interacted with them more than she should have, so it was very likely she was going to have to obliviate herself from their memories before she left for her own time anyway. This only left the issue of them telling Charlie about her real name before she made them forget it.</p><p>As Hermione entered the common room she noticed that it was still bustling with students; mainly first and second years. With a glance around, she noticed neither Fred nor George seemed to be amongst the crowd; their bright red hair would have been easy to spot.</p><p>Knowing that she needed to find them soon, Hermione creeped up to her own dorm for some privacy. Once she was there, she took a quick peek around to make sure no one else was inside with her. Sure enough, the seventh year girls dorm was deserted; the other five women no doubt headed toward Hogsmeade alongside Charlie and Devon.</p><p>The thought of Charlie made her freeze. She was starting to wish she had gone with him after all; not liking the idea of him surrounded by other girls. He was one of the better looking men in their year, and she had no doubt that he could get a replacement date with little to no effort on his part.</p><p>Hermione tilted her head back and sighed. She wasn't supposed to feel this way about Charlie. Feelings like this would only complicate things with Ron further once she made it back to 1998.</p><p>"Oh, Ron!" She groaned out loud to herself, having not thought about him in a few days. "How are we supposed to start dating now?"</p><p>She plopped down on her bed and removed her beaded bag from her shoulder. "Your damn brother!" She added in frustration.</p><p>Knowing she still needed to take care of the issue with Fred and George, Hermione forced thoughts of the other two Weasley men out of her head and began to dig through her bag. After a few minutes of unsuccessfully locating her copy of the map from the future, she finally gave up and acciod it out.</p><p>"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." She said grumpily at it.</p><p>From the tip of her wand outward ink began to spread across the page; revealing the castle layout and its many inhabitants. Quickly, and out of habit, she found the Gryffindor common room on it; and there she was, a set of footprints in the room at the top labeled 'Hermione Granger.'</p><p>She then searched outward slightly into what was the first year boys quarters, and luckily enough there were only two people in this room. The footprints on the map were facing each other and marked with the names she was looking for.</p><p>"Thank heavens." She whispered in relief before standing back up. "Mischief Managed."</p><p>As the page went blank again Hermione slipped the map back into her trusty bag and exited her dorm. She crept down the winding staircase and back into the common room to take a peek around. It seemed slightly emptier than before, meaning more third years and up had left to visit the small village down the road.</p><p>Another glance around the room let her know that no one else seemed to be paying her any attention, giving her ample opportunity to sneak over to the boys staircase. As stealthily as possible, she crept up to the first level without running into anyone and entered the first years dormitory.</p><p>Fred and George had been sitting across from each other, between two of the large four poster beds when she arrived, but had quickly scrambled as they heard the door open and close.</p><p>"Good morning." Hermione said in as friendly a manner as she could muster.</p><p>"Oh looky here Georgie." Fred smirked. "It's dear Jeanie coming to see us yet again."</p><p>"Righty you are Freddy." George added. "Me thinks precious Charlie just isn't cutting it for her anymore."</p><p>"Ho, ho." Fred laughed. "Seems like he may have some competition from his wee brothers eh?"</p><p>"Very funny boys." Hermione glared at them as she crossed her arms in front of her stomach. "I came to strike a bargain with the two of you, but if you really don't want my help with that parchment you've been trying to crack than I'll just leave."</p><p>Hermione started to turn, and just as expected they called out to stop her.</p><p>"Wait!" George cried at the same time Fred yelled "Hold on!"</p><p>"What do you know about this parchment?" Fred asked skeptically; eyes narrowed to slits.</p><p>"Yeah, you've been spying on us since we nicked this from Filch!" George added.</p><p>"I know that it's a map of Hogwarts first off." She revealed as she came to sit on the trunk at the foot of George's bed. "And that it shows all of the hidden passageways in and out of the castle on it."</p><p>"Wicked." They both grinned at the same time.</p><p>"It sounds cool, but how do we know you're telling us the truth?" Fred asked.</p><p>"Fair question." She nodded her head at him once. "It just so happens that I know most of the creators."</p><p>The two boys were trying unsuccessfully to keep up a pokerface. "Which ones do you know?" Fred asked.</p><p>"Well Moony is the nicest." She decided to tell them the truth without revealing their real names. "Padfoot is the biggest troublemaker, Wormtail is an absolutely spineless bastard." The twins snickered. "And unfortunately Prongs passed away before I met him."</p><p>"Alright." George said; having learned the four names by being insulted by them. "You've peaked our interest."</p><p>"What's your bargain?" Fred added.</p><p>She knew she had won them over. After knowing these boys for almost half her life, younger versions of them were almost too easy to trick into doing what she wanted.</p><p>Hermione leaned forward toward them with a look of triumph. "I will tell you all the maps secrets that I know, for two favors from the both you."</p><p>Fred and George both looked at each other, as if silently communicating on what to do; which Hermione had to remind herself that they probably were.</p><p>After another minute Fred spoke. "Alright. We want the map. What are your two favors?"</p><p>"First, the map is supposed to stay in circulation. It had been in Filch's cabinet far longer than The Marauder's intended." Hermione said. "I want the two of you to promise me that you will pass this map on and it's secrets before you leave Hogwarts."</p><p>"How will we know who to pass it to?" George asked.</p><p>"Yeah." Fred continued. "What if who we choose decides to turn it, or us, in to one of the teachers?"</p><p>Hermione smiled at the pair, knowing exactly how it would play out. "Trust me boys, there will come a time when you will sense that someone needs the map more than you do. And when that time comes you will be able to pass it off knowing that it will go to good use."</p><p>"Alright then." Fred agreed. "We find that to be an acceptable term. What's the other?"</p><p>"The map doesn't just show the layout and secret passages." She revealed to them. "It also shows all the inhabitants. Each person is labeled with a set of footsteps which shows exactly where they are located within the castle."</p><p>Both boys eyes gleamed as if they had just won the lottery; the million dollar jackpot.</p><p>"Due to an unfortunate incident of which I will not reveal." Hermione continued. "I am having to hide my identity."</p><p>"So your name isn't Jean?" George asked, clearly catching on.</p><p>"No." She admitted. "And the map will tell you what it really is, as it never lies."</p><p>"Does Charlie know?" Fred asked.</p><p>"Not yet." She said getting a little nervous. She decided to keep her wand at the ready in case she needed to obliviate them and steal the map afterall.</p><p>"So if we agree not to tell anyone, not even Charlie, what your real name is... you'll give us the code or password or whatever it is?" George asked, piecing what she wanted together before she could tell them.</p><p>"Yes." She admitted. "Those are my two conditions. Do we have a deal?"</p><p>Fred and George looked at each other for only a few seconds before nodding at each other and than at her.</p><p>"Deal." Fred said while holding his left hand out for her to shake.</p><p>Hermione looked at him suspiciously for a second before holding out her right hand instead. "Give me your other hand Fred." She demanded.</p><p>"Damn." George grinned as Fred shook her hand with his right. "She's good."</p><p>Fred took the shocker off his left hand and sighed. "Yeah. We're going to have to tell Charlie we approve of her after this."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>True to her word, Hermione had shown Fred and George how to use The Marauder's Map; every detail that they themselves had taught Harry. They had ooh'd and ah'd as if Christmas had come early, until finally she left them to enjoy it by themselves.</p><p>An hour later she was back in the restricted section; a small pile of books already gathered. Instead of reading them in the library she wanted to take them back to the comfort of the common room to study over the remainder of the weekend.</p><p>She was just searching for one more to add to her pile when her eyes caught a book with a metallic gleam to it. As she slipped it from it's spot, she almost dropped it due to the sheer unexpected weight of it. Under further inspection, she noticed it seemed to be made entirely out of shiny black steel; the title of 'The Art of Forging" etched onto the cover.</p><p>Hermione didn't know how this could possibly be useful to her search for winning the war, but her interest was peaked by the unique construction; so into her bag it went as she gathered the rest of her pile.</p><p>Figuring that she had enough to keep her busy for a few days, she decided to exit the Library and head toward the greenhouses. There was an exit on that side of the castle that would lead her to a cozy sitting area with a lake-view and a nice breeze. It would be a nice place by which she could read for a few hours before dinner.</p><p>She had just made it halfway down the corridor when she heard a voice that was becoming all too familiar calling out from behind her.</p><p>"Hey, Jean!" Charlie shouted. "Wait up!"</p><p>Hermione turned to look at him, her feet seemingly glued to the floor as he approached her casually. She was surprised to see him, as it was just after lunch and she hadn't expected him back for at least a few more hours.</p><p>"What are you doing back so early?" She finally asked, only finding her voice once he reached her.</p><p>"Well I've been to Hogsmeade many times before, and it seems Devon's handsome mug just isn't cutting it for me anymore." He grinned at his own joke.</p><p>Hermione laughed at that, not knowing what else to say. She was excited to see that he'd rather spend the day with her than peruse Hogsmeade with his friends, but that thought also worried her. He was getting way too attached to her.</p><p>"Plus... there was someone much prettier I'd rather spend the day with anyway." He confessed, as if laying his heart on the line.</p><p>"Oh?" She asked, taken aback by how forward he was being. A blush spread across her face from how much she liked him talking to her like that.</p><p>"Yeah." He admitted, flashing another charming smile her way. "Someone who seemed pretty excited about a certain box of sugar quills I promised to bring back."</p><p>Charlie reached into his bag slowly without breaking eye contact, and pulled the white box with a Honeydukes label out of it. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the long familiar box and her fingertips twitched at the thought of pulling one of them out to suck on while she read her books this afternoon.</p><p>"You know what?" He asked abruptly, shaking his head at her with a smoldering look. "Fuck it." He added, before throwing the box of sugar quills over his shoulder.</p><p>Hermione barely heard the clatter of it hitting the ground as he dipped his head down; pressing his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. She was so caught off guard that there was little time to react before she found his fingers had tangled themselves in the curls at the base of her neck; keeping her in place so he could devour her mouth.</p><p>She gasped breathily at his sudden attack, and her arms wrapped themselves around his neck of their own accord in order to keep herself upright. Charlie's tongue slipped past her parted lips, taking her gasp as an invitation to deepen the kiss.</p><p>Hermione couldn't help herself. She kissed him back; hard. Charlie was a fantastic kisser, who tasted just like the butterbeer he must have had before coming to find her. After weeks of wondering how the kiss he'd attempted to give her on her birthday would have been, she finally knew. And it was good. Better than good actually.</p><p>It was better than her first kiss, which had been with Viktor Krum. A million times better than the wet kiss she'd received from Cormac McLaggen sixth year. And just as she'd feared, better than the kiss she'd shared with his brother the night she had arrived here to the past.</p><p>Shit. His brother. Ron!</p><p>With that thought in mind, she began to panic over what she had allowed to happen. So with a heavy heart Hermione detached her lips from his, and pressed one palm firmly against his chest to push him away.</p><p>Taking her cue, Charlie reluctantly pulled back. The snogging session was just starting to get good, and he was disappointed that she was cutting it off so soon.</p><p>"What's the matter?" He asked nervously.</p><p>"We can't." Hermione answered while shaking her head slightly.</p><p>"Why not?" He sighed, clearly frustrated. Charlie gripped both her hands in his and held them against his chest; sensing that she wanted to run and keeping her from doing so. "I know you like me too, Jean. You wouldn't have just kissed me like that if you didn't."</p><p>"It's not that simple." She claimed while staring at their joined hands; unable to look him in the eyes.</p><p>"Well then try explaining it to me, because I don't understand at all." He pleaded, refusing to let her go. "You said you trusted me, remember? You know you can tell me anything."</p><p>"I want to. I really do… but I just can't." Hermione whispered, looking down.</p><p>"Why not? I haven't told anyone any of your secrets. Not even Devon." He kept trying to convince her. "I know you've been through some horrible and frightening things these past few months, and I know you are still hiding things from me." He faltered, as if searching for the right words. "So if that's all that's keeping you from letting yourself be with me, then I'm ready." He sounded so sure of himself. "Tell me what it is that could possibly be worse than you-know-who and his death eaters."</p><p>"Charlie." She drug out his name slowly, shaking her head back and forth at him the whole time. "You have no idea what you're getting into by getting involved with me...It's a bad idea."</p><p>"I don't care." He said as he moved his hands to cradle her face; looking deep into her eyes. "I don't care what I have to do to be with you, and I don't care about the trouble being with you gets me into." He paused for effect again. "What I do care about though, is you and making sure you are safe. So why don't you tell me what it is that brought you here? What is this horrible trouble it seems your supposed best friends have gotten you into?"</p><p>"I can't tell you, Charlie." She sighed. "It's against the rules."</p><p>"Rules?" He questioned; starting to look annoyed. "What rules?" He raised his voice slightly. "I like you, alright! I really like you, and I know you feel the same about me. So if this big secret is all that's standing in the way of us being together, then screw the damn rules!"</p><p>Hermione looked up at his aggravated face, and couldn't help it. She laughed. She laughed at his outburst, and she laughed at the situation she had gotten herself into; covering her mouth with one hand.</p><p>"Godric, Jean!" He looked even more frustrated. "What the hell is so funny?"</p><p>"You!" She shook her head at him before leaning forward to place a small single kiss to his lips. "You aren't just going to forget about me no matter how hard I try to push you away are you?" She asked, flattered by what he was willing to do for her.</p><p>"Never." He admits, finally grinning again.</p><p>"I guess there's no point in hiding it from you if you are just going to realize who I am eventually anyway." She paused briefly when his grin turned to a look of confusion before continuing. "Charlie, I'm not who you think I am."</p><p>"Okay?" He looked even more confused.</p><p>She let out one long sigh, knowing that this was it. For real this time.</p><p>"My name isn't Jean Walters...It's Hermione Granger."</p><p>Charlie tilted his head to one side before shaking it when he finally realized what she had admitted. "Your name isn't Jean?"</p><p>"Technically it's my middle name, but no." She finally admitted nervously. "I needed an alias while I was here, so I chose my mother and father's first names and put them together."</p><p>"Okay then, Hermione Granger." Charlie tested her real name out as he gave her right hand a squeeze with his left. "Where are your parents now?...I mean, why is it that you have an english accent, yet you've never attended Hogwarts before now?"</p><p>"Well." She replied, knowing that her answer required more background information. "You know how I've been really evasive about where home is?"</p><p>"Yeah." He nodded.</p><p>"That's because home isn't a where." She explained nervously. "It's a when."</p><p>Charlie looked more confused than ever, and his eyebrows crinkled as he attempted to understand.</p><p>"I'm from the future, Charlie." She finally admits. "From 1998 to be exact."</p><p>Charlie froze; his mouth opened, and then after a pause it closed again. He pondered her revelation for a moment before the confused look on his face suddenly turned to one of anger.</p><p>"You know…" He faltered as his anger began to grow. "If you wanted to reject me, all you had to do was tell me you weren't interested. You didn't have to come up with some far fetched lie to get me to leave you alone." He seethed. "If you want me to leave you alone than fine. I won't bother you anymore."</p><p>He dropped her hands harshly before turning to walk briskly down the corridor; going back the direction he originally came from.</p><p>It was Hermione's turn to freeze in place. Of all of the reactions she had expected, this clearly was not one of them. Confusion and denial maybe, but certainly not anger. It wasn't until he is half way down that hall that she finally gained her senses back.</p><p>"I'm not lying Charlie!" She called after him.</p><p>He didn't stop or answer her.</p><p>Hermione knew that he was both too far away and too fast for her to catch up, and there was only one thing she could do to get him to stop.</p><p>"Remember those two best friends I told you about!" She called out to his retreating back. "Well their names are Harry Potter…"</p><p>He seemed to falter slightly at that name, but shrugged it off as he kept going. It's wasn't until she uttered the next name that he finally stopped dead in his tracks.</p><p>"And Ron Weasley."</p><p>Charlie froze again; pausing for several seconds before he whipped around to face her again. He looked angrier than she had ever seen him before.</p><p>"Don't you dare bring my family into your web of lies and deceit Jean!" He practically spit as he stormed back toward her.</p><p>"I'm not lying!" She shouted back; meeting him part way. She was clearly offended that he would accuse her of making her life up. "And I can prove it." She said firmly as she threw her bag to the floor.</p><p>Hermione knelt to the floor and began to rummage through her bag like a madwoman; occasionally throwing something out of it to the floor in her search for something in particular.</p><p>"Ahha!" She finally said before throwing what looked to be a crumpled bit of fabric at him rather violently.</p><p>"And what's this supposed to be?" He sneered at her as he caught it easily. "One of your failed knitting attempts?"</p><p>"It's Ron's traditional Mrs. Weasley Christmas sweater from last year." She explained calmly as he unfolded it; revealing the large gold R knitted on the front. "From 1996."</p><p>Charlie paused as he rubbed his fingers over the fabric; it seemed he was trying to take in the familiarity of it.</p><p>"This proves nothing." He finally shook his head at her.</p><p>"Yes it does, and you know it." Hermione added. "Ron's is always maroon. Always."</p><p>"How do you know that?" He asked, voice bordering on anger and confusion. "And how did you even get this?"</p><p>"I told you I was carrying all the stuff we needed while we were on the run from death eaters. I had spare clothes for all three of us in my bag when I accidentally got sent here to the past." She answered calmly, trying to remind herself how difficult this must be for him to hear.</p><p>"Okay than." Charlie finally seemed to be coming around, but was continuing to fight the truth. "If you are such good friends with my brother... than what is his middle name?"</p><p>"Billius." She answered without a pause. "After your uncle."</p><p>"Shit." He muttered.</p><p>"Your fathers name is Arthur, who works in the misuse of muggle artifacts office. Your older brother Bill works for Gringotts in Egypt as a cursebreaker." She continued to try and prove her point. "Your mother has always stayed home since Ginny and Ron haven't left yet." She smirked at the look on his face. "Or should I say Ginevra, if you'd like me to be more specific."</p><p>"Shit" was all it seemed he could come up with as a response.</p><p>"Also, Ron's room is under the attic that is infested with a ghoul that likes to bang on the pipes. Which as annoying as that is, it isn't near as obnoxious as the shade of orange Ron chose to decorate said room with after the dreadful team the Chudley Cannons."</p><p>Charlie was stunned. His eyes were as wide as saucers as he took in everything that she had just confessed. Not only was it all true, but none of what she had just revealed was information he had ever told her over the past two months. That meant that this was either an elaborate joke being played by the twins, or she was telling the truth.</p><p>There was a bench only a few feet away from where the two of them had rejoined each other during their spat, so Charlie promptly collapsed on it; burying his forehead in his hands.</p><p>"Fuck." He muttered under his breath.</p><p>Hermione sat beside him and placed a comforting hand to his shoulder. "I know this is a lot to take in." She said. "There are days I still can't believe it myself. But I'm up for explaining everything to you if you still want to hear it." She offered. "For real this time."</p><p>"Speaking of real, you really are from the future aren't you?" He asked, lifting his head to look at her. "This isn't just one of Fred and George's pranks you got suckered into is it?"</p><p>"No, Charlie its not." She shook her head. "It's my very real life. The complexity of it is precisely why I held off telling you for so long."</p><p>"Shit." He muttered for the third time, still shocked by her revelation. "Is that why you're always trying to avoid everyone? You're trying to keep yourself from changing anything aren't you?"</p><p>Hermione nodded. "It's also why I kept trying to avoid you as well, as you are my best friends older brother. I have to admit you gave me quite a shock when I ran into you my first night here."</p><p>"I can imagine." He began to nod with her. "Wait! Does that mean we've met before?" He looked confused again. "Will meet? Or...you've met me?"</p><p>"Yes, actually." She confirmed. "Twice. The first time was the summer of 1994 when I attended the Quidditch World Cup with your family. The second time was just last year; for Bill's wedding."</p><p>Charlie finally started to look a little better and a smirk spread across his face. "Bill's a married man now is he?" He snorted. "I'm sure mum loves that."</p><p>"She does now." Hermione agreed with a shrug. "But she wasn't so fond of his choice during the engagement." She leaned in a little closer now that his anger had subsided. "Kept trying to bring Tonks around to get him to change his mind actually."</p><p>Charlie snorted at the imagery. "Dora? Really?"</p><p>"Gin was a bit disappointed that didn't work too though." She said, hoping she wasn't feeding him too much information.</p><p>"Hold on!" Charlie said suddenly. "You already knew Tonks before you tripped on her bag the other day?"</p><p>"Yup, seeing younger versions of people I've known almost half my life is a bit strange to be honest."</p><p>"Merlin's beard! This opens up so many more questions." He said looking overwhelmed.</p><p>"Then ask away." She said, sliding her hand into his and giving it a squeeze. "I'm not going to lie to you anymore."</p><p>Charlie stared at their joined hands for a second, before bringing them up so he could place a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.</p><p>"Good." He said.</p><p>And ask away he did.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP; Always</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 14</p><p>Hermione spent the next hour filling Charlie in on the details of how she'd arrived to the past. She told him about how Harry, Ron and her had split up to look for a long lost artifact; though omitted the fact that it was the diadem of Ravenclaw. She had only revealed that they had discovered information about an item that could help them defeat Voldemort for good and insinuated that they were only in the process of looking for it.</p><p>She told him about being attacked by a death eater while on the hunt for the artifact; though left Malfoy's name out of it, as she worried that would cause Charlie to want to change her past. She had told him that the same death eater was the one who had broken her wand during a duel. She told him how she had then ran and had no choice but to use the time-turner to try and escape.</p><p>And then she told him about the tripping jinx, and how it had caused her time-turner to break mid travel. Which in turn caused her to have to explain all about time-turners in general, as he had never even heard of them before today. And lastly she'd had to explain why exactly she herself had known how to use one; only revealing her class schedule as the reason, omitting the night they'd saved Sirius and Buckbeak completely.</p><p>Charlie continued to ask question after question about her life as they lounged in Charlie's favorite spot by the lake; his head resting on her lap as they treated themselves to the box of sugar quills previously dropped to the floor.</p><p>"Okay so I get the timeturners, and I get that because you and my brother are friends with Harry Potter you could easily be dragged into some mission to defeat you-know-who once and for all." He twirled a second sugar quill between his fingers as he spoke. "But why was there a death eater in the castle to begin with?"</p><p>Hermione grimaced, more at herself than at him. The conversation had finally come to the line she didn't know if she should cross or not. Sure, she had told him she wasn't going to lie to him anymore, but was it really safe to tell him about the war?</p><p>In the end, she decided that it was time to tell him the rules of knowing her secrets.</p><p>"I promised you I wouldn't lie to you Charlie, and I intend to keep that promise." She said nervously. "But in return you have to know the rules and then promise me that you will not act on the more important parts of what is in my past."</p><p>"Okay." He agreed simply.</p><p>"Charlie, this is very serious." She wanted him to be completely aware of the situation. "If, at some point in the next eight years, you do something that ends up changing the things I tell you about right now; that can, and most likely will, change my past."</p><p>"Yeah, I get it." He agreed looking a little taken aback. "I'll make sure things stay as you say they were."</p><p>"I have to make sure." She continued her warning. "Because any little thing might change the outcome of something very important. In fact, I've already changed your future at least a little just by being here and getting to know you at all." She stroked her thumb across his cheek bone. "But the real issue is if you change things from my past, you might accidentally make it so I never travel back in time to begin with."</p><p>Charlie gulped, hating the idea of never getting to know her like he had the past two months. "I swear Jean." He paused and shook his head. "Hermione, I mean." He corrected himself.</p><p>"No, it's actually probably better if you keep calling me Jean." She smiled down at him, running her fingers through his hair. "It wouldn't look good if you slipped up around other people."</p><p>"Right." He agreed, looking happy to have his head inadvertently scratched. "Well I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure things stay as you say they happened."</p><p>"It won't be easy Charlie." She said. "You'll have to live the next eight years of your life knowing people you love are going to end up in horrible situations before they get in them. You'll have to know these things without being able to stop them."</p><p>Charlie gasped and sat up to look at her on eye level. "What are you saying? Are you saying…" He looked almost scared to finish his question. "Are you saying someone in my family is dead?"</p><p>"No!" Hermione didn't realize how horrible she had made things sound. "God's no!" She reached out to squeeze his arm. "But, well, I guess there have been a few close calls."</p><p>Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as I know everyone ends up okay I think I can manage to let whatever bad things are coming happen."</p><p>"It's a lot to ask of anyone." She said. "But if you are sure you can handle this, then I will tell you all about the death eaters and the mission Dumbledore is going to set Harry, Ron and I on." She pondered the situation for a second before continuing. "In fact, we could probably use your help."</p><p>"Of course, I'll do anything I can to help you guys out." He said, sitting back against the bench. "Okay, so why don't you start at the beginning and then you can let me know what I or future I can do to help."</p><p>"Aright." Hermione brought her feet up onto the bench so she could sit cross legged facing him. "Well, how much do you know about Harry?"</p><p>"Potter?" He asked to clarify.</p><p>Hermione nodded.</p><p>"Not much, just what everyone else our age knows."</p><p>Hermione snorted. "Yeah about that; you do realize that I'm not actually your age right? I'm actually seven years younger than you."</p><p>"Shit. That's right." He chuckled softly. "So much for me liking older women huh?"</p><p>"Why do you think I laughed so hard the night you told me that?" She smirked at him.</p><p>"I have to be honest, there are a lot of things you have said over the past two months that make a lot more sense now." He tilted his head at her. "But we can get to that later I guess. Anyway, all I know about Harry Potter is that You-know-who killed his parents and then tried to kill him, but somehow his spell backfired and he got hit instead. Harry is pretty well famous for unintentionally ending you-know-who's reign of terror before he could hardly walk."</p><p>"Okay that's true, but did you ever wonder why Voldemort went after a child that young?"</p><p>Charlie flinched at the name, but didn't complain. "Several times actually."</p><p>"And did you ever wonder why Professor Trelawney actually got a job here even though she's obviously full of shit?"</p><p>"Yeah." He chuckled though looked confused as well. "But I don't see how those two things relate to each other."</p><p>"So it turns out she's not a complete fraud after all." Hermione revealed as she took another lick of her sugar quill. "Up to my time she has actually made two accurate prophecies."</p><p>"Prophecies?" He asked. "That doesn't sound like her usual preferred methods of telling the future."</p><p>"Well she doesn't actually know she's made them." Hermione smirked, knowing he enjoys digging Trelawny as much as she does. "Apparently she goes into some kind of trance."</p><p>Charlie laughed. "So she doesn't actually know she's not a fraud then? I love it!"</p><p>"I do too!" Hermione laughed with him, having to cover her mouth with one hand.</p><p>Once their laughter subsided he took a deep breath before getting serious again. "Okay so I'm guessing that means our least favorite professor made some prophecy about Potter and You-Know-Who."</p><p>"Yes." Hermione confirmed. "A child born as the seventh month dies, whose parents have defied the dark lord three times. And the dark lord will mark him as his equal but he will have power the dark lord knows not. For either must die at the hand of the other, as neither can live while the other survives."</p><p>"Woah." Charlie looked impressed. "No wonder you lot got dragged into so much trouble."</p><p>"You haven't heard anything yet." She warned him that there was still so much more to come in her tale. "So remember how I warned you that he was just biding his time to make a comeback, you know that day when you asked how I got my scar?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>Hermione grimaced at him. "Well...He is back."</p><p>Charlie's eyebrows raised very high on his forehead with a look of horror.</p><p>"Shit!" He cursed before looking away from her to stare out at the lake instead. "Shit, shit, shit!" He continued with his favorite curse word. "How!?"</p><p>"He had help from two of his old followers along with a dark potion made from Harry's blood." She cringed. "Blood of the enemy; if I remember correctly."</p><p>"How long?" Charlie asked looking uneasy. "How long do we have until this happens?"</p><p>"Spring of 1995." Hermione reveals, determined not to hide anything from him as promised.</p><p>"Shit." He uttered again. "That's only five years away."</p><p>"I know." She placed a comforting hand on his. "Harry almost died that night. The moment I saw him shout the words 'he's back' was the most terrifying two words I'd ever heard in my life."</p><p>"So he's been back for three years?" He wanted to confirm. "I see now why you warned me about not being able to change things."</p><p>Hermione nodded. "Yes, but we are very close to taking him down for good. If he dies this time, he won't be coming back."</p><p>"And you're sure none of my family is dead?" He asked clearly worried. "I mean you said you'd been on the run for several months when you ended up here, so how do you know for sure?"</p><p>"Because we had just left Bill's house that morning as we had stayed with him for a few weeks while I healed from getting tortured and my scar." She claimed. "When we arrived he had said everyone in the family was still fine. I also just saw Fred, George, and Ginny not fifteen minutes before I arrived here."</p><p>His look of relief made her worry that she was downplaying how serious the upcoming war was going to be.</p><p>"Don't get me wrong." She said, knowing he needed to understand. If he was going to get to know about the war this far in advance and be able to properly help them he needed to know not every family had been so lucky. "The war hasn't been without its tragedies. There have been several casualties; people we know included."</p><p>"Like who?" He looked uneasy again.</p><p>"Alastor Moody, the auror friend of your fathers with the strange eye." She listed. "Ted Tonks-"</p><p>"Dora's dad?" He interrupted before she could tell him about Dumbledore's demise.</p><p>"Yeah, just before she had her baby." Hermione said sadly. "She named little Teddy after him."</p><p>"Dora's a mum?" Charlie asked, looking surprised.</p><p>Hermione nodded. "He was just born a few days before the battle started. I haven't seen him in person yet, but apparently he got the metamorphmagus gene from her."</p><p>"That really sucks about Mr. Tonks." He sighed. "But I'm glad it's been minimal so far; at least of people we are close to."</p><p>"I couldn't agree more." She said gloomily, deciding not to bring up the subject of Dumbledore dying at the potion master's hands. "We've been lucky so far, and I'd like to keep it that way."</p><p>"And that's where I come in?" He assumed.</p><p>"If you still want to after hearing what we are up against." She said, letting him know he could still back out.</p><p>"Of course I'll help." He confirmed. "But before we get into that, there are a few things I'd still like to clarify."</p><p>"I think I can help with that."</p><p>"Alright, well first off; the day we met...or rather the day I met you for the first time." He questioned. "On our way to Gryffindor tower you turned three steps before I did."</p><p>"Yes I did." She confirmed, seeing where he was going with this.</p><p>"The reason you already knew the way was because you'd obviously been there millions of times before. Was that strange for you to walk all that way pretending you didn't know me or where we were going?"</p><p>"It was the most bizarre moment of my life up until that point." She confessed. "And you talking up a storm about your family didn't help either."</p><p>Charlie laughed. "Okay you see there are so many moments similar to that, that make sense now that I know where you came from." He said. "Like that next day at Ollivanders. That was the wand that got broken the night you came here wasn't it? The one you wouldn't touch?"</p><p>"Yes." She confirmed before suddenly laughing at him. "And you asking if I was into divination was laughable!"</p><p>"Well what was I supposed to think at the time?" He defended himself.</p><p>"I don't know, but I was a bit preoccupied that day." She claimed. "Do you know how weird it was for me to have to convince Ollivander that he would need to sell my own wand to younger me a few years from now?"</p><p>"Godric, that must have been uncomfortable." He cringed. "Especially with me standing not three feet away."</p><p>"Speaking of something else from that day." Hermione leaned forward and grabbed his wand from his pocket without asking. "I never realized that this wand had once belonged to one of your mother's brothers." She looked it over, having not seen it in years.</p><p>"You recognize my wand?" He questioned with one eyebrow raised. "I thought we'd only met twice before you came here?"</p><p>"We had." She claimed. "But this is the wand Ron had the day I met him. He was trying to turn scabbers yellow with it when we were on the train first year."</p><p>Charlie once again looked shocked. "Okay now I know you aren't just messing with me. Fred and George have no idea that this wand is going to be passed to Ron once I graduate and buy my own."</p><p>"Yes well, I'm glad it does." She added, getting ready to drop another bomb on him. "It apparently saved both him and Harry second year while I was petrified in the hospital wing."</p><p>"Petrified?" He stammered, eyes wide again. "As in?"</p><p>"Turned to stone."</p><p>"By what?" Charlie asked exasperatedly.</p><p>Hermione grit her teeth before turning away from him with a cringe. "A basilisk."</p><p>"A basa-" He shakes his head in surprise for a second before glaring at her. "A fucking basilisk attacked you?"</p><p>"I did warn you that you were going to have to know about these things and let them them happen anyway." She reminded him.</p><p>"I know, but a fucking basilisk?" He yelled before noticing her angry glare. He looked around after realizing he was being too loud to make sure no one was around, but luckily the grounds were still deserted. "You're right, I promised. Let's change the subject."</p><p>"Probably a good idea." Hermione agreed. "So back to your inquisition of weird things I've said but now make sense."</p><p>"Oh, right." He said trying to shake off his woes. "Um, your birthday-"</p><p>"Was one of the best ones I've ever had, yes." She interrupted with a coy smile.</p><p>"Ha! I knew it." He grinned victoriously.</p><p>"What about my birthday has you curious?"</p><p>"Well that morning at breakfast I asked you how old you were." He started as he slipped his wand back into his pocket. "and you said ten."</p><p>"I was just being facetious." She revealed. "Because technically I did turn ten on September 19th of 1989."</p><p>"Are you always such a smart ass?" He scoffed goodnaturedly.</p><p>"Yes." She flashed him a large grin. "Get used to it."</p><p>"Something tells me I'm not going to have a choice but to get used to it." He sighed.</p><p>"You'll learn to love it." She patted his knee before leaving her hand on it. "Your brother did."</p><p>Charlie fake laughed with a grimace. "Yeah, that brings up another thing." He sighed with his teeth clenched in nervousness. "Now I really hate to ask this last question. but I have to know." He scrunched his eyes together with another groan. "Your second day here, when we were in the library. You joked that you had 'never said that you were single' and then continued to joke that it was with my brother, but you hadn't made it official yet."</p><p>Hermione internally cringed; seeing red. She knew where he was going with this. She had known that she was eventually going to have to tell him about her shared kiss with Ron along with the rest of their history, but she had hoped that it wouldn't have come up so quickly. They were just starting to get together for goodness sake.</p><p>"That wasn't actually a joke was it?" He continued. "You and Ron had something before you ended up here by accident didn't you?"</p><p>Hermione slowly slid her hand off his knee and back into her lap. Her eyes dropped to stare at her fidgeting fingers so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye as she confessed the one thing that would probably drive him away.</p><p>"Charlie." She started with a groan.</p><p>"Well that answers that question." He looked down at his own hands gloomily as well.</p><p>"Why do you think I tried so hard to avoid you those first few weeks?" She asked, inadvertently confirming his theory.</p><p>"Fuck." He cursed and tapped the palm of his left hand against his knee several times in a row. "I was trying to hard to charm you, so you attempted to avoid me. You wanted to keep this exact situation from happening."</p><p>Hermione only nodded, not knowing what else to say; for he was right.</p><p>"Are you in love with him?" Charlie finally turned to look at her again.</p><p>Hermione finally lifted her head to look him in the eye; noticing how nervous he looked. She had promised she wasn't going to lie to him, but this had been the most difficult question yet, and it made her want to break that promise to spare his feelings.</p><p>"I thought I was." She admitted, keeping her promise after all. "But I'm not so sure anymore."</p><p>"Oh." He said simply before turning his head to look back at the lake.</p><p>After a moment of silence, Hermione decided it was too uncomfortable to look at him and took to staring at her hands again as she picked at a hangnail.</p><p>In turn, Charlie leaned his head back; groaning into his hands as he covered his face with them.</p><p>"We've been dancing around each other for years." She admitted after another minute of silence. "And I thought we were finally going to be together...You know, once the war was won-"</p><p>"Hermione, Stop." Charlie growled sternly, finally sitting back up. "I don't want to hear this."</p><p>"I'm sorry." She claimed sincerely. "I was just trying to be honest."</p><p>"Well you can stop now, I get it." He added moodily.</p><p>Hermione could tell he was frustrated, so stayed quiet so he could wrap his head around the situation for a moment. After another minute of them sitting in silence, she finally felt him stand from the bench.</p><p>"Where are you going?" She asked, surprised he wasn't asking more questions. "Don't you think we should talk about this?"</p><p>"No." He said firmly, turning toward the castle. "Right now I need to be by myself."</p><p>She stood herself, not only getting frustrated by his lack of communication, but wanting to jump on his back to stop him from leaving her. "So what? You don't want to be near my anymore?"</p><p>"No Jean, that's not it." He said, still frustrated.</p><p>"Then why won't you talk to me?" She asked his back while on the verge of tears.</p><p>"Because right now." Charlie said, still not turning to look at her. "I need to think."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1989</p><p>Chapter 15</p><p>(One week later, Friday November 5th)</p><p>It was late. Almost eleven at night to be exact.</p><p>For the sixth night in a row Hermione was sitting in the chair closest to the portrait hole; waiting for Charlie to return to Gryffindor Tower for the night.</p><p>It was official: he was avoiding her. Just as he had been all week.</p><p>On Halloween morning he had gathered all the quidditch players for a mandatory day long practice beside Hagrid's hut; the strange location due to the pitch already being reserved for the day by Slytherin. The rest of the week had basically been the same; with a practice every night right up until curfew. In fact, even at meal times he had surrounded himself with teammates; leaving her with no opportunity to talk to him.</p><p>She flipped the page of her book in annoyance as she checked the portrait of the fat lady again in an attempt to see if any of the quidditch players were back yet. There was no such luck.</p><p>With a loud snap, Hermione closed her book and stood from the squashy red armchair. If he still didn't want to talk to her than she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of catching her eagerly awaiting his return. So with a huff of frustration, she stomped up the stairs to her dorm for the night. Maybe it was time to just let him come to her.</p><p>Once in her dorm she was greeted by Laura and Sarah, whom were busy pampering themselves before bed. Both of their faces were a pale green and pasty from the facial masks they had apparently just applied, and were dawned from head to toe in luxurious bathrobes.</p><p>"Still no Charlie?" Laura asked, as the pair joined her on her bed.</p><p>"Hmm?" Hermione asked in an attempt to act as if she had not been waiting for him, but then remembered that they had both caught her multiple times over the past week. "No." She finally admitted with a sigh.</p><p>"Well I'm sure he'll get his head out of his own arse eventually." Sarah said. "But what is it the two of you are even having a spat over in the first place?"</p><p>"Sarah!" Laura scolded her with a glare.</p><p>"What?" Sarah feigned innocence. "His head is up his own arse if he won't even talk to her. Would you like to join us Jean? We still have plenty of the mask mixture prepped." She changed the subject; causing Laura to roll her eyes.</p><p>Though Hermione was not usually one to partake in superficial rituals of vanity, she decided to let the two girls apply the green concoction to her face while they gossiped away. Sarah and Laura had been nothing but nice to her since she met them two months ago, and it seemed like a good distraction. A distraction that was working quite well until a very frustrated trio of girls walked into the room, all of them covered from head to toe in sweat and dirt.</p><p>"Gods the three of you look a fright." Avery snarled grumpily as she caught sight of their appearances.</p><p>Sarah turned to look at the all female team of chasers. "I could say the same about you three."</p><p>"Yeah, well this is due to wind, bludgers, and a very cranky team captain." Avery gestured to all the sweat and muck covering her robes before rounding on Hermione. "And speaking of our cranky captain, I'm not sure what it is you two are fighting about Jean, but the two of you better make up soon, alright? Because I am not going through his moody monstrous training routines for a week straight ever again. My private training sessions with my cousin Gwen last year weren't even this rigorous."</p><p>Hermione looked a bit surprised but remained calm. "What makes you think his training tactics have anything to do with me? Why can't he just be pushing you guys for a win?"</p><p>"Because I've known Charlie for seven years now, and I've never seen him as cranky or as hard headed as he has been this week." She said accusingly. "In fact he's been in a foul mood ever since he left Hogsmeade early to go find you."</p><p>"Sorry ladies, but I've actually been trying to talk to him all week." Hermione admitted, knowing she'd been caught. "He's been using you guys as a shield."</p><p>"Well why didn't you ask us for help earlier?" Jasmine butted in, looking just as frustrated as Avery. "The three of us will get him alone for you. We'll do it tomorrow; just after the game at the victory party."</p><p>"You think you can?" Hermione asked skeptically. She wasn't sure they'd be able to get him in the same room with her.</p><p>"I can talk Devon into helping." The other chaser named Ivy Blanchard said. "As backup he is just as frustrated with these training sessions as we are. In fact, as Charlie's best friend, he is probably getting the brunt of his bad mood. I'm sure he'll help us."</p><p>"Alright. I'll take all the help I can get." She sighed. "But what if we lose?"</p><p>"Ha, like we are losing after all the insane practices this week." Jasmine scoffed.</p><p>"Seriously." Ivy added. "Those Flint boys better bring it, because we are going to kick their arses tomorrow."</p><p>xxxxxxxxxx</p><p>(Saturday. An hour into the game. Gryffindor leads 180-70)</p><p>The obnoxious announcer, who also happened to be a Slytherin, was going to drive Hermione insane. His voice was dripping with arrogance, his words were condescending and rude, and if it weren't for the fact that Professor McGonagall could be heard screeching across the pitch at him to remain unbiased she would have marched over to his section herself and jinxed him for the awful things he was saying about her new friends.</p><p>"Is that poor third year still out cold?" Laura asked Hermione, who was busy looking out her omnioculars at the student announcer. She had found them hidden in her bag that morning and decided to bring them last minute.</p><p>Hermione turned her attention from the obnoxious Slytherin across the pitch, to the sidelines where they had drug Oliver Wood's unconscious body two minutes into the game. After a bludger had hit him in the head, Devon had taken over as keeper. He was doing a good job considering Gryffindor was winning by over one hundred points.</p><p>"Looks like it." Hermione informed them as she watched Madame Pomfrey continue to care for him on the sidelines.</p><p>"Bad luck." Sarah said. "Poor guy will probably never live that down."</p><p>Hermione wanted to say that he would do just fine, as she knew he'd end up playing for Puddlemere after Hogwarts, but her and her new friends all ended up forgetting about poor Oliver. They scoffed and rolled their eyes as the announcer's voice continued to call out the play by play of the game in a very sexist manner.</p><p>"DAWSON DIVES UNDER THE YOUNGER FLINT AND PASSES TO THE EXOTIC AND FULL FIGURED-"</p><p>"TALMADGE!" McGonagall screamed. "I've told you time and time again to keep it clean. One more offense and you're out!"</p><p>"Sorry Professor." The announcer responded. "AND BLANCHARD DODGES A SECOND BLUDGER, PASSES BACK TO DAWSON WHO FLIPS AROUND THE SAME BLUDGER HIT BY WARRINGTON. SHE KEEPS CONTROL OF THE QUAFFLE." He continued in the same manner as before. "DAWSON THROWS IT. IT'S GOING IN...AND SHE SCORES." Talmadge was clearly annoyed at his house team for letting another quaffle in. "AGAIN." He added. "WHICH BRINGS THE SCORE UP ONE-NINETY TO SEVENTY."</p><p>Avery swooped across the field giving both her fellow chasers high fives along the way. The three girls immediately went into defense mode as the three Slytherin chasers made their way across the pitch to where Devon was currently guarding the three Gryffindor hoops.</p><p>"LETS HOPE HIGGS FINDS THE SNITCH SOON, BECAUSE THREE MORE GOALS BY GRYFFINDOR AND IT WON'T MATTER IF HE CATCHES IT OR NOT."</p><p>Hermione turned her omnioculars toward Charlie, who was busy searching for the snitch. She was still hoping he would catch it before Slytherin's seeker; even though she was annoyed at him for ignoring her all week, she still wanted him to be in a good mood for that evening. She also wanted to be able to shove a win in that jerk of an announcers face.</p><p>He dodged two bludgers hit from different directions before skyrocketing upward to get a better view of the pitch. Hermione couldn't help but focus on him. The way he moved showed off how skilled he really was on a broom.</p><p>Hermione zoomed the lenses in further so she could see him more clearly. His eyes were constantly moving in different directions in his search for the snitch. It was clear that he was determined to be the one to catch it. His brows were furrowed in concentration, which made her realize that his attention was completely on the game. She felt a small pang in her chest when she realized that she was just as far from his thoughts as everything else non game related.</p><p>'It must be nice to have something to distract himself with.' She thought, before realizing that she should have spent her week distracting herself with the mission. It was much more important than boys anyway, so she shouldn't have let herself become so absorbed by her feelings for him in the first place. She was on a deadline, and in only six months she would have a war to win.</p><p>"Does he have sight of the snitch yet?" Laura asked.</p><p>Hermione was taken off guard by the question. She didn't like that she had been caught watching him.</p><p>"Um, no." She cleared her throat uncomfortably. "But he is definitely on the hunt. I don't think I have ever seen him this focused."</p><p>"Good. I'm sure once he catches it he'll be in a better mood." Laura replied.</p><p>"Oh Definitely! He should even be in a good enough mood to make out-" Sarah coughed as Laura elbowed her harshly. "Make-up! I meant make-up...Jeeze!"</p><p>Hermione ignored the comment, not wanting to get her hopes up that he would ever kiss her like he had last Saturday again. "I'm going to take this one victory at a time. The girls have to succeed at getting him in a room alone with me first."</p><p>"AND JASMINE WINTERBOTTOM SCORES FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS GAME." The Slytherin announcer continued. "AND SPEAKING OF BOTTOM. HOW DOES SHE PLAY SO WELL WITH ONE AS ROUND AS HERS, LET ALONE SIT ON A BROOM-."</p><p>"THAT IS IT TALMADGE!" Everyone in the stand could hear Mcgonagall shout. "I HAVE WARNED YOU TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO KEEP IT CLEAN AND I HAVE OFFICIALLY HAD IT!" She emphasized had and it with a pause between each. "YOU ARE OUT! I WILL FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN TAKE THIS PRIVILEGE SERIOUSLY!</p><p>"I can do it Professor!" An excited voice could be heard in the distance from the microphone over the loudspeaker.</p><p>"You are still a bit young Jordan." The entire stands could just hear. "I usually let one of the older students-"</p><p>"I won't make rude comments I promise!" An eleven year old Lee claimed. "I'll call the game like I see it without showing preference. Plus, I don't even like girls like that yet, so you won't have to worry about me talking about bottoms."</p><p>They could her McGonagall emit a large sigh. "Fine." She finally conceded. "But just for the rest of this game. If you do a good job we can talk later about you taking over in the future."</p><p>There was a bunch of rustling as Lee took the headset and placed it over his mop of hair so he could sit in front of the microphone.</p><p>"AND DAWSON HAS POSSESSION OF THE QUAFFLE." He announced. "SHE DODGES A BLUDGER. DODGES A FLINT. DODGES ANOTHER BLUDGER BEFORE PASSING TO BLANCHARD. BLANCHARD IN POSSESSION NOW. SHE DODGES THE OTHER FLINT BEFORE PASSING BACK TO DAWSON. DAWSON FLIES TO THE LEFT. SHE'S IN POSITION…" Lee says acting excited. "AND SHE SCORES! BRINGING THE SCORE UP TWO HUNDRED TO SEVENTY!"</p><p>Hermione and the rest of the Gryffindors in her group all clapped and cheered loudly. Ivy had been right the night before; they were kicking Slytherin's arses.</p><p>"AND WHAT IS THIS!" Lee exclaimed; getting excited once more. "IT LOOKS LIKE WEASLEY HAS CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE SNITCH!"</p><p>Hermione pushed her omnioculars back in front of her eyes after discarding them under her arm earlier so she could clap and cheer along with her housemates. She scanned the sky for Charlie who was nowhere near where she'd last been watching him. In fact, he was now almost clear to the other side of the pitch. His right hand was stretched out in front of him as he continued to steer the broom with his left.</p><p>Though she could hear Lee Jordan's echoing voice in the background, she was not paying attention to the words he was saying as her entire focus was now on Charlie as he dodged a bludger hit his way by one of the Slytherin's beaters. Though he dodged it precisely, Charlie barely seemed to notice that it had been hit at him at all as he continued his pursuit of the golden snitch.</p><p>"AND IT LOOKS LIKE HIGGS HAS FINALLY NOTICED THAT WEASLEY IS HOT ON THE SNITCH'S TRAIL. LET'S SEE IF HE CAN CATCH UP TO HIM IN TIME." Lee said, trying not to sound too excited by the lack of competence of the opposing team's seeker.</p><p>Charlie continued on, unaware of the excited hollering coming from the crowd. His mind was on one thing and one thing alone: and that was wrapping his fingers around the snitch before Terence Higgs caught up to him. Though he was already going as fast as his old cleansweep four could carry him, he seemed to slowly be gaining on the small winged ball.</p><p>A few seconds later, as if she had hit the slow motion button on her omnioculars, Hermione watched as he swung his upper body forward and reached outward. His hand finally closed around the evasive golden ball; Higgs still nowhere even close to his location on the pitch.</p><p>"AND WEASLEY GETS IT!" Lee yelled, unable to contain his excitement. "HE HAS CAUGHT THE GOLDEN SNITCH, ENDING THE GAME IN JUST OVER AN HOUR WITH A SCORE OF THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TO SEVENTY. GRYFFINDOR WINS!"</p><p>Charlie did a victory lap around the pitch; the fist that was still clenching the snitch tightly raised high above his head. As Hermione's eyes continued to follow him, she could have sworn she saw him look her way as he passed by; but almost as soon as his eyes seemed to lock onto her, he looked away again.</p><p>Had she imagined it? Or had he been making sure she'd seen his team winning catch?</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>The victory party was in full swing.</p><p>It seemed that Fred and George had already been putting the map to good use, as they had brought numerous snacks and beverages into the common room; claiming to have nicked them from the kitchens.</p><p>Though Hermione was happy that Gryffindor had won the game, her mind was clearly on other things. Everytime the portrait opened her head would jerk upward to see who was entering. This time she wasn't looking for just Charlie though; this time she was looking for the three female chasers, and possibly Devon as well. Actually, none of the team members had gotten back yet; no doubt getting showered and changed in the locker rooms before joining the party.</p><p>She had been nursing her glass of non spiked pumpkin juice for twenty minutes when Ivy, Jasmine, and Devon finally burst through the portrait hole. Their sudden entrance caused another excited uproar of cheers from the crowd, leaving Hermione unable to approach them for several more minutes.</p><p>When the excitement of their arrival had finally calmed down a bit, Ivy and Jasmine joined her in the corner; having not forgotten about helping her in the glory of their big win.</p><p>"Where's the rest of the team?" Hermione asked curiously; now realizing they were still the only ones who had come back to the common room.</p><p>"Well the beaters left early to help Madame Pomfrey take poor Oliver to the Hospital Wing since he will have to stay there overnight." Ivy explained. "I'm guessing they are still there."</p><p>"And Charlie and Avery?" Hermione continued to question them.</p><p>"They were asked to stay behind by Madame Hooch." Jasmine answered. "None of us know why yet though."</p><p>"Don't worry." Ivy spoke up, seeing the apprehension in Hermione's face. "I think their delay will actually work for us rather than against us. It won't be as difficult to get him in a room alone with you now that we won't have to find a way to lure him out of the common room."</p><p>"So you think we should wait outside for him instead?" Hermione raised one eyebrow.</p><p>"Outside the castle?" Jasmine asked. "No. I think the two of us…" She gestured to herself and Ivy. "Along with Devon should wait on the east side stairwell."</p><p>"Exactly." Ivy chimed in. "That way they will have to run right into us to get back to Gryffindor tower."</p><p>"Makes sense." Hermione agreed. "So where will I be?"</p><p>"The third floor corridor. Second room on the right." Jasmine said. "We'll lure him there for you."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>"Hey Charlie! Avery!" She finally heard Devon call to his two very late teammates. "We are having a get together this way!"</p><p>Hermione, who had been waiting impatiently in the designated room for almost 20 minutes now, perked up slightly at the news that Charlie had finally arrived. She straightened up from her current position of leaning against the back wall of the abandoned classroom, and took to looking toward the open door where the shadows of the quidditch players danced across the floor outside it.</p><p>After several seconds of shadows moving, and voices echoing off the walls; a figure finally appeared in the doorway. Charlie Weasley's eyebrows raised as he saw that the room he had been guided to by his teammates had been a trap, but they had shoved him inside before he could turn to protest and shut the door on him.</p><p>"Thanks for pushing us to a win today Charlie." Avery's voice could be heard from the other side. "But we have had enough of you for this week."</p><p>"Seriously!" Ivy's voice took over. "You aren't getting out of here until Jean is good and done with you; you hear?"</p><p>Charlie leaned the back of his head against the door and seethed into his hands before dragging them down his face. It was clear that he was annoyed.</p><p>"Sorry mate." Devon added, most likely knowing he would need to calm Charlie down at least a little if their plan was going to work. "But it's for yer own good ya know."</p><p>"Good luck in there you two!" Ivy added as both Charlie and Hermione heard their footsteps retreating from the other side of the door.</p><p>They were alone at last; making her count this as the second victory for the day.</p><p>Hermione opened her mouth to finally speak, but quickly shut it again. She hadn't been positive that the plan would even work, so now that he was finally alone with her she was at a loss for words. She wanted to tell him that she wanted him and not Ron. That he was the one who made her feel things she'd never felt before. But the problem was that she also knew it was a forbidden relationship that was doomed to end in only six months. The situation caused her to feel conflicted over which way to steer the conversation, so she stayed silent instead.</p><p>Before she could come up with anything noteworthy, he had pushed himself off from the door and stalked toward her. There was a predatory gleam in his eyes as he closed the gap between them.</p><p>His sudden movement startled her; causing her to back up into her previous position against the wall. Of all of the ways he could have reacted, this was far from what Hermione had pictured. She had expected him to either get angry and try to escape, or listen calmly to what she had to say before asking to be left alone again.</p><p>In a matter of seconds he was on her; kissing her just as fiercely as he had the weekend before. One of his hands had gripped the hair at the back of her head, causing her to almost wince from the sting of it. It was clear that Charlie was out of control at the moment, and a part of her liked it.</p><p>Hermione let herself get lost in the kiss, scared that this might be their last. She had never felt passion like she did whenever he kissed her, so if this was her last opportunity to feel it she was going to take it; but only for five seconds.</p><p>All too soon, the five seconds she allotted for herself was up. It would have been too easy to keep kissing him, but she knew they needed to figure out where they stood before things got any heavier.</p><p>Hermione placed her palm against his chest and pushed; not unsimilar to how she signaled for him to stop the weekend before. "Charlie stop." She whispered.</p><p>"Why?" He growled into her ear before attaching his lips to her neck instead.</p><p>Hermione gasped in surprise. It felt good, and she wanted to give in and let him continue, but she also knew that wasn't the right thing to do. She placed her other hand on his shoulder and pushed harder.</p><p>"Because we need to talk." She said firmly.</p><p>"I don't want to talk." He growled. "I want to snog you."</p><p>He kissed her again. This time in a much more demanding meaner, as he tried to shush her into complying. She was just about to give in when his next words brought her swiftly back to reality.</p><p>"Just for one last time." He whispered against her lips.</p><p>The meaning of his words hit her hard. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head. He was ending what had barely even started yet.</p><p>Hermione knew in that instant that nothing was going to be resolved that evening. It was obvious he needed more time to mull things over before they could actually have the unavoidable conversation properly. So with a heavy heart she kissed him one final time before untangling herself from his embrace.</p><p>"If all you want is someone to snog, I'm not your girl." Hermione said sadly before walking to exit.</p><p>Charlie starred after her longingly. The look on his face was a cross somewhere between shock and sadness, along with what seemed to be a hint of regret.</p><p>Hermione turned the handle to open the door before twisting her head around to face him once more. "Come find me when you are ready to talk."</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP: Always</p><p>1989</p><p>Chapter 16</p><p>"Mmmm."</p><p>Hermione sighed joyfully as she bit into her third chocolate croissant for the day. She hadn't wanted to see Charlie after what had happened between them the night before, but she wasn't going to let her frustration with him stop her from getting her favorite meal of the day; so she'd taken several baked goods from the breakfast table that morning before he'd arrived. She was now eating them one by one in a sitting area in the back corner of the library.</p><p>Some might say she was drowning her sorrows in junk food, but Hermione was actually and finally focusing on her task rather than on her love life. The chocolate croissants were simply due to the fact that they had been easier to grab and stash in her bag than anything else offered on the table.</p><p>After two months of being back at Hogwarts she was finally starting to see her old figure coming back. When she had first looked at herself in the mirror upon arrival to the past, her ribs were clearly visible under her skin. Now, instead of looking emaciated they had disappeared; making her appear healthy once more.</p><p>Hermione grinned at her tasty treat before taking another ladylike nibble of the French dessert.</p><p>"I see you've already eaten after all." A voice said from in front of her.</p><p>With red cheeks, Hermione looked up. She was embarrassed to have been caught savoring sweets so early in the day, but quickly forgot about it when she realized Charlie was approaching her. After studying him for a second she also realized that he was carrying a bowl filled with a variety of fruit. He looked not unlike he had her first morning in 1989; when he had been tasked with accompanying her to Ollivanders.</p><p>"Oh, um yeah." Hermione said awkwardly before catching herself. Even though she wanted to focus on being prepared for her impending trip back to the present she didn't want to scare him away from ever talking to her again. "I mean, Yes. I have."</p><p>"Baked goods again I see." He smirked slightly at her.</p><p>"I couldn't help myself," She shrugged, cheeks still slightly pink. "Though I probably should have grabbed what you brought instead."</p><p>"Nonsense." He shook his head; placing the bowl of fruit on the end table beside her chair before stepping back a few paces to lean against the nearest bookshelf. "I think we are all entitled to a little indulgence occasionally."</p><p>Hermione looked down at her half eaten treat bashfully. "Yeah, but this is my third one since this morning."</p><p>Charlie grinned at her before covering his mouth with one hand. He snorted, and as his shoulders shook slightly. She soon realized he was trying not to laugh. With her cheeks turning redder by the second, she tucked the leftovers into her bag to save for later.</p><p>This action caused the opposite reaction she had been hoping for, and Charlie finally cracked. He began to laugh out loud humorously; his head shaking from side to side as he continued to laugh at her.</p><p>"Oh shut up!" She finally said; opening her previously forgotten book back up in an attempt to ignore him.</p><p>Though he was able to calm himself back down fairly quickly; they stayed in their current positions in silence for several minutes. Him staring at her while she pretended to read; her occasionally peeking up from her page to see if he was still there or not.</p><p>After a very long and awkward silence, Hermione finally got annoyed.</p><p>"Why are you here Charlie?" She asked; still trying to keep her eyes on her book instead of him.</p><p>To her surprise, he smiled. "Well I got some interesting news last night, and other than telling Devon immediately and sending an owl out earlier this morning to my mum, I wanted you to be the first to know."</p><p>Hermione's brows crinkled, but she finally looked up to give him her full attention. "Know what?"</p><p>Charlie looked genuinely happy. "Madame Hooch kept Avery and I after the game last night. Turns out there were scouts from the league there yesterday. They want us to come tryout for the national team."</p><p>"Oh." Hermione smiled softly in return, not at all surprised by the news. "That's really great...Congratulations."</p><p>Charlie's smile faded slightly and he came to sit on the coffee table that was just in front of her. "Now I know you're not much of a quidditch fan, but I thought you'd be a little more excited for me. This is huge you know!" He exclaimed, getting excited again.</p><p>"No, I know." Hermione responded, trying to force a larger smile though knowing exactly how his future was going to unravel. "It is exciting. I'm really happy for you."</p><p>She must not have done a good enough job of convincing him, because his smile had now faded completely. "Then why don't you sound like it?"</p><p>"Charlie...you don't…" She paused with a cringe. She wasn't going to lie to him; just as she'd promised. "You don't play quidditch."</p><p>He paused for a moment; absorbing what she had just said. When the meaning to her words finally sunk in, his face paled.</p><p>"Oh." He looked as if she had just slapped him across the face. "I don't make it then?"</p><p>Hermione cringed again; realizing she had made it seem like he was going to get rejected. "No. You do." She backtracked. "At least I think you do."</p><p>"I don't understand. " He said, now looking confused. "How can I make the team, and also not be on it?"</p><p>Before answering, she bit her lip while trying to remember exactly what she had heard about his tryouts from the other Weasleys. "You'll have to forgive me for not knowing exactly how this is all about to play out." She finally said. "But from what I was always told by your family, you could have played for England if you had wanted too, but you were too busy chasing after dragons instead."</p><p>"Dragons?" Charlie's eyes got big and he immediately started to look excited again. "Are you saying…?" He paused as a grin spread across his face. "Are you saying I get to work with dragons?"</p><p>Hermione couldn't help it. She grinned back; nodding in the process. "Yes, Charlie. That's why I had only ever met you twice." She explained. "You've lived in Romania longer than Ron and I have known each other."</p><p>"Romania?' His face lit up even more. "You mean the largest dragon sanctuary in Europe?"</p><p>"Mhm." She confirmed. "At the base of the Bucegi Mountains."</p><p>Charlie looked as if Christmas had come early. It seemed the excitement of a possible career as a professional quidditch player was now long forgotten; having been replaced by images of dragons spouting fire instead. There was a child like gleam in his eyes as he stared at her. He was grinning from ear to ear at the news that his childhood dreams were going to come true.</p><p>"Well Shit." He finally said happily. "No wonder I tell the English National Team to fuck off."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>They were now out walking by the lake. Madam Pince had kicked them out after seeing that food had been brought into her precious library, so they had run for their lives before she could also give them detention.</p><p>"So I'm in a position where I can help Hagrid by smuggling a Norwegian Ridgeback he hatched in his cabin out to Romania for him?" He asked excitedly.</p><p>"Well not you personally. You had some friends coming to visit you anyway." She clarified. "So they strung up a harness between the four of their brooms and picked her up from the Astronomy tower late at night. She's still there with you in Romania last I heard though."</p><p>"Her?" He asks her curiously. "I thought you said Hagrid names it Norbert?"</p><p>"Oh he does!" Hermione giggled. "But the night before Bills wedding he asked you how Norbert was doing, and you just laughed at us and asked 'Do you mean Norberta'." Her fingers mocked quotations as she mocked future him.</p><p>He laughed. "Glad to see I keep my sense of humor. Only adding an 'A' at the end of a boys name is definitely something I'd do."</p><p>"It is, isn't it." She asked rhetorically.</p><p>Hermione slowed as he turned to walk backwards; staring at her intently as he came to lean his back against a nearby tree. His arms crossed over his chest as she stopped just in front of him. The mood seemed to have taken on a more serious tone finally.</p><p>"I'm not mad at you, you know." He said.</p><p>"You're not?" She seemed surprised.</p><p>"No. Confused, yes. Angry, a bit." He tried to explain himself. "But not at you. I'm just frustrated at the situation."</p><p>"It hasn't exactly been easy for me either." She looked down at the ground where her foot was dragging a pattern in the dirt. "Especially when you wouldn't even look at me this week."</p><p>"I know." Charlie looked remorseful. "I'm sorry. I'm not the greatest at handling difficult situations."</p><p>"Seems to be a family trait." The corners of her lips twitched upwards for a second before she looked up at him again; her shoulders shrugging in the process. "So what do we do now?"</p><p>Charlie sighed as he stared back at her. "I should probably be a good brother, and let you go so you can be with him when you get back." He looked conflicted. "But that's easier said than done. I still picture Ron as the nine year old, food loving, speaks before thinking, Chudley Cannons fan that he is. He's honestly still a kid in my eyes. Not really someone I think of as competition. The idea of you and him together is bizarre to me."</p><p>"I know how you feel." Hermione said solemnly, knowing that he was making the right choice, but disappointed by it anyway. "Ron has always felt overshadowed by all of you; as if he is just an extension of all of his older brothers rather than his own person with his own talents and feelings." She looked down at her feet again. "How's he going to feel when I tell him I don't want to be with him anymore because I fell in love with you."</p><p>Both Hermione and Charlie gasped at the same time. She looked up from her feet to catch the look of surprise that now crossed his face.</p><p>"Oh." She said simply as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.</p><p>"You're in love with me?" He finally asked after a small pause. It had taken several seconds for her words to truly sink in.</p><p>"I...I." She stuttered, not sure of what to say. She turned her head to look toward the forest instead of at him; needing a few seconds to think about what she had just let slip. She hadn't realized her feelings for him ran that deep until the words had unintentionally slipped from her mouth. "Yes." She finally said, turning back to look him in the eyes. "I do. I love you."</p><p>Charlie closed his slightly gaped mouth; the shock of her admission finally wearing off slightly. He pushed off from the tree and took the three steps needed to close the gap between them. Very slowly the corners of his lips twitched upwards into a smile.</p><p>"I'm glad." He said before sliding one hand into position on the right side of her neck. "Because I love you too."</p><p>And with that, his lips descended upon hers. Much softer than they had the first time. Much more patient than he had been the night before. The kiss was tantalizing and sweet, as if they had all the time in the world together.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1989</p><p>Chapter 17</p><p>After what seemed like an eternity later, they finally broke apart; both panting and gasping for air. Charlie moved to rest his forehead against hers, it was as if he needed to keep touching her no matter what. Slowly, he reached up to place his hand on her face where his thumb began to trace a pattern along her cheekbone.</p><p>"So where do we go from here?" She finally asked once she had caught her breath.</p><p>Charlie chuckled through heavy breathing. "No idea." He answered after pondering her question for a moment. "I came here to do the noble thing and let you go."</p><p>"And how did that work out for you?" She asked; tilting her head up to meet his eyes. The tips of their noses ended up brushing against each other of their own accord.</p><p>"It didn't." He chuckled again nervously.</p><p>Hermione tilted her head back down to stare at the ground; their foreheads coming to rest against each other again. "I don't know what to do." She groaned.</p><p>Charlie sighed. "Yeah, well I think it's pretty clear what we both want."</p><p>Hermione lifted her head to look at him with pursed lips. "Well yes, but there are a lot more factors at play here than what we want Charlie."</p><p>"Maybe we should just ignore them and be together anyway." He smiled in an attempt to cheer her her up. "Let the consequences be damned."</p><p>Hermione returned his smile gloomily. "That sounds nice in theory, but it's not just Ron's feelings that we have to worry about you know?" Hermione reached her hand up to grab the one currently tracing patterns on her cheek. "There are other things working against us too."</p><p>"Yeah?" He asked before dipping his head down to nibble on her neck. It was clear he was trying to entice her into giving in. "Like what things?"</p><p>As tempting as it was to let him continue, she knew that she had to tell him what the real issue was before it was too late.</p><p>"Like that fact that I leave in six months." She forced the words out.</p><p>Charlie froze with his lips still attached to the spot where her neck met her shoulder. After a short pause he lifted his head to look her in the eyes. "I know." He sighed, looking taken aback. "I knew eventually you would have to."</p><p>She nodded. "The longer I stay here the more things I risk changing. Dumbledore has a friend at the ministry who came up with a plan to get me home."</p><p>"Shit." He cursed as he rubbed his forehead with one hand. "That's what you were talking about that day I caught you in the prefects bathroom." He suddenly looked surprised and cursed again. "Shit. You're a prefect too aren't you? That's how you knew where it was and how to get in."</p><p>Hermione nodded again. "You know I expected these little instances to be a lot more amusing in hindsight than they actually are."</p><p>Seeming to be lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear her attempt to lighten the mood. "Six months isn't much time." He said solemnly before his eyes flickered to stare directly at her again. "So to hell with it."</p><p>Before his words could fully register in her brain, Charlie had grabbed her around the waist and backed her against the tree he had previously rested against. He dipped his face back down to press their lips together in a heated kiss; nibbling and sucking on her lower lip. It seemed his past mindset of kissing her as if they had all the time in the world was now long forgotten. This time he kissed her urgently; as if she would be ripped from him that very moment.</p><p>"Charlie." She groaned. "We shouldn't."</p><p>He must have known that her heart was at war with he head, because he ended up smirking against her lips as her arms wrapped themselves around his neck as she kissed back.</p><p>"I may not know what the future holds like you do Hermione." He backed off slightly so he could look her in the eyes as he argued back. "But what I do know is that I love you, and that I'm already in too deep. I don't want to regret not taking a chance on us."</p><p>She stared back at him; their noses almost brushing again from the close proximity, but she did not respond. It seemed her head and her heart really were in two different places and she didn't know which one to side with.</p><p>"Hermione?" He asked in an attempt to get her to comply. "Do you want to be with me?"</p><p>"Yes." She finally nodded, knowing that lying was out of the question. "Perhaps more than anything."</p><p>"Good." Charlie grinned; knowing that he was going to get his way. He dipped his head back down to kiss her gently again. "Then let's be together."</p><p>And as they stood there snogging for the third time that day, it seemed that that was that.</p><p>XXXXXXXXX</p><p>"I was suppose to be doing research today you know?" Hermione smiled as he continued to press kisses to her cheek and jaw.</p><p>She never thought that she would be the kind of girl who would waste the day away snogging someone; but it appeared that Charlie had changed her mind on that account. Kissing him gave her a thrill that she not only had she never felt before, but also could not get enough of. They had now spent hours together; constantly stealing kisses from one another as they moved along the grounds. Though they started off near that tree by the lake, they had now made it all the way to Charlie's favorite spot; the place he had taken her to on her birthday.</p><p>"Yeah, well you said we only have until May second, and I want to kiss you as much as humanly possible between now and then." He grinned whilst cradling her head so he could hold her in place.</p><p>As his lips pressed themselves against hers for what had to be the millionth time that day, all Hermione could do was oblige him. Her arms wrapped themselves back around his neck so she could bring herself closer to him on the bench.</p><p>As the kissing became more heated and their breathing became heavier, she started to wonder if she should stop them for now or not. At this point she was practically in his lap; and as much as she was enjoying it she also worried they were moving too fast. They had only just gotten together after all.</p><p>"There you are Charlie!"</p><p>The new couple broke apart at the sudden intrusion of an irish-accented voice calling out to them. Hermione's cheeks reddened at being caught, though her arms stayed wrapped around his neck from their new position on the bench.</p><p>As Devon maneuvered through the nearby trees, he finally caught sight of more than just the red hair he had glimpsed on his search for his best friend. It was apparent by the grin that spread across his face as he came into view that he knew exactly what he had just interrupted.</p><p>"Damn." He said excitedly. "It's about bloody time you two got together."</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1989</p><p>Chapter 18</p><p>It was well past dinner now. They were on the third floor of the castle; behind a large drapery panel half way down the charms corridor. Currently their arms were wrapped around each other in a close embrace; lips locked as was the new normal.</p><p>They had been together for almost two weeks now, and just as Hermione had feared she had become completely consumed by him. When they weren't in class, and when Charlie wasn't at quidditch practice(which were now farther and fewer between), they were practically attached at the hip.</p><p>She had tried to stay focused on her task of researching how to win the war, but she kept getting distracted by the handsome redhead and his talented lips. A distraction she was more than eager to succumb to. A distraction that currently had her pressed against a tapestry in the abandoned third floor corridor.</p><p>"Maybe we should go to bed." Hermione sighed breathily. It was clear they were both getting overheated.</p><p>She could feel him smirk against her lips. "It's funny." He whispered as he kissed down her jaw to her neck. "That's exactly what I was thinking."</p><p>Hermione scoffed; knowing exactly where his mind really was. "No, I mean we should actually go to bed." She said; regaining her senses enough to push him away slightly. "In our own dorms...Separately."</p><p>Charlie chuckled. "Yeah. I had something a bit different in mind." He grinned as he brought her in for another slow kiss. "Not what I was thinking at all, actually."</p><p>"I'm sure it wasn't." She snorted as she felt one of his hands slide over her backside. She knew he was eager to take the next step in their relationship, but she still wasn't quite sure. Sure she desired him, but before now she hadn't really given sex or anything even close much thought. She had always figured that she would be long done with her schooling before that particular subject came up, and knew for her own sake she needed to tread lightly moving forward.</p><p>Hermione was suddenly pulled out of those thoughts as he gave her arse a firm squeeze.</p><p>"Charlie!" She scolded him; the back of her left hand connecting with his chest as she smacked him.</p><p>"What?" He feigned innocence with another smirk before placing her arms back around his neck.</p><p>Hermione squealed as he suddenly hoisted her up; her legs wrapping themselves around his waist out of reflex in an attempt to keep her balance. They both laughed as he twirled her around in circles, his nose nuzzling the flesh of her neck. Things always felt natural and carefree when it was just the two of them.</p><p>"Charlie, stop!" She yelled through laughter. "You're making me dizzy."</p><p>He laughed and spun her around once more before leaning her back against the wall.</p><p>"Better?" He asked, now that they were stationary again.</p><p>"Much." She replied before tilting her head down to bring their lips together again.</p><p>He gladly obliged; deepening the kiss as if it were the only thing holding her up. She whimpered as his tongue slipped it's way into her mouth; exploring it at leisure. His fingers were busy playing with the waistband of her skirt without sliding under just yet.</p><p>It wasn't long before she started to feel something hard pressing against her inner thigh. She'd still been wearing the custom pleated school uniform when they had run off after dinner, so there wasn't much between them from their current position.</p><p>Hermione froze; her eyes turning to saucers as she felt it grow. For as much as she was already consumed by him, she didn't want to think of how much she would lose herself if she let it go that far already.</p><p>Charlie must have noticed her apprehension; for he gently set her down to put some space between their bodies. He cleared his throat nervously.</p><p>"Sorry." He grinned sheepishly; cheeks turning pink. "Can't help it when it comes to you. Let's just ignore it shall we?"</p><p>With her face almost as red as his was, all she could do was nod in response. It seemed the shift in mood had caused her to lose her voice.</p><p>"I'm not expecting you to jump into bed with me." He backtracked, noticing how uncomfortable she now seemed. "I mean I love you and of course I think about it." He was now rambling. "Quite a lot actually... but I want you to know I'm completely happy just kissing you. We don't have to take the next step until you're absolutely sure you are ready, okay?"</p><p>Hermione nodded again; still clearly apprehensive. As much as she had always liked Ron, she had never really felt a physical desire for him. Not the way she currently felt for the man in front of her.</p><p>"I know you aren't trying to pressure me Charlie. It's just that I'm still..." Hermione sighed. It seemed she was still having trouble finding her voice. "I mean, I've never gone beyond snogging."</p><p>He gripped both of her hands with his. It seemed he understood what she was trying to say. "So you and Ron never..." He shook his head slightly, not wanting to say the words.</p><p>"No." She claimed, looking mortified. "Ron and I only ever kissed once. The night I arrived here."</p><p>Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. He still didn't like the idea of her having had a history with his younger brother, but knowing that their physical contact had been extremely limited set his mind at ease. "Good. And there wasn't anyone before?"</p><p>"Not really." She shook her head. "I mean Viktor Krum kissed me fourth year of course, but-"</p><p>"Viktor who?" He said with narrowed eyes; obviously feeling threatened by someone from her past. "Is he someone I need to watch out for?"</p><p>Hermione covered her mouth with one hand as she shook her head with laughter. She had forgotten that Viktor wouldn't be famous for playing for the Bulgarian national team for a few more years and that Charlie would have no idea who she was talking about. For a moment she considered telling him about the celebrity status of her former fling, but thought it might be more entertaining to let him find out on his own later.</p><p>"No, you will have nothing to worry about with Viktor Krum. He lives and works in Bulgaria."</p><p>Still obviously confused, but picking up on her strange hints he raised one eyebrow at her. "Is he someone I know later or something?" He asked.</p><p>Hermione decided to play coy and grinned a very mona lisa like smile at him. "Something like that."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>"Looks like somebody has been out up until curfew again." Sarah said in a sing song voice. She was talking to Laura, but her words were directed at Hermione.</p><p>She had just entered the seventh year girls dorm after a long and steamy kiss goodnight in front of the portrait hole. It hadn't been until the fat lady had coughed at them in a very Umbridge like manner that Charlie had finally let her go. He had whispered the new password and sent her through first so he could cool down.</p><p>With her cheeks still flushed, Hermione sat down at the foot of Sarah's bed, where the two girls had obviously just been gossiping away.</p><p>"Mhm." Laura agreed with a grin. "What is that, every day for the past week?"</p><p>"Hey!" Hermione exclaimed looking slightly offended. "No. Last Thursday I was in bed by nine."</p><p>"Oh that's right." Sarah giggled. "The only night the Gryffindor quidditch team practiced."</p><p>Hermione crossed her arms and pouted, not responding to their accusations.</p><p>"We are just messing with you Jean." Laura tried to stifle her laughter. "Ignore our quips that stem from jealousy of not having someone of our own to snog silly every night."</p><p>She seemed to perk up slightly at that and the corners of her lips twitched upwards slightly. "I feel like I'm in a little over my head to be honest."</p><p>"So it's getting serious already?" Laura asked, trying not to sound too excited.</p><p>Hermione nodded her head. She could feel butterflies in her chest at the thought of how enamored she already was with Charlie. Especially considering she had only known him for not even three months yet.</p><p>"Well I, for one, am glad." The more serious of the two girls said. "Merlin knows you deserve some happiness to come out of having to transfer schools for your last year."</p><p>"Thanks Laura." Hermione smiled at her new friend.</p><p>"And speaking of happiness." Sarah grinned mischievously. "Have you two…" She made a rather rude gesture with both hands. "Yet?"</p><p>Both Hermione and Laura's eyes widened from shock.</p><p>"Sarah!" Laura exclaimed, while all three of them laughed; two of them out of mortification.</p><p>"What?" She asked innocently. "His birthday is in a few weeks, so I was just asking in case she needed suggestions for what to get him."</p><p>Laura smacked the other girls arm, which caused a small argument to erupt between the two long time friends.</p><p>And while the other two girls bickered about what was and was not appropriate, Hermione's face paled. She had, of course not realized that his birthday was so soon. She had never been around him or his family when they celebrated it; but now that it had been mentioned she briefly remembered the twins sending out a birthday card attached to a Hogwarts toilet seat during her fourth year.</p><p>And if her memory served her as well as it normally did, they had sent it out just a few weeks before Christmas; to be delivered on December the twelfth. And if she had remembered correctly, that meant she had less than three weeks to find the perfect gift.</p><p>Charlie had planned a wonderful evening for her birthday with less than twelve hours notice. An evening so wonderful in fact, that it was part of what made her fall for him in the first place. If he could pull that off in a mere few hours, surely she could pull of something just as special with a few weeks to prepare.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1989</p><p>Chapter 19</p><p>Hermione was alone for a change. Charlie and half of her dorm mates were at quidditch practice while Laura and Sarah were off on dates with two Hufflepuff boys. She was currently going through her bag; taking the opportunity to try and find a gift for Charlie out of the mass quantity of items inside it. Piles of her things were currently laid out in the open on her bed. Since the room was currently empty it was likely her only opportunity to do so.</p><p>Harry's cloak had been placed to the far side of the mattress, with the map folded carefully underneath it. The books she'd stolen from Dumbledore's office after his funeral last year were stacked up next to that, and most of her clothes directly in the center.</p><p>Next, she pulled all of Harry and Ron's clothes out to set beside her own; the smell making her miss them more than usual today. Her heart felt heavy as she stacked another one of Ron's sweaters onto the growing pile. He was going to be so angry with her when he discovered that she was with his brother now, and she just hoped that their friendship could survive it. He would likely hate both her and Charlie after this. She was sure of it due to the way he had acted after finding out she had kissed Viktor, though this was going to be much much worse.</p><p>Hermione sighed gloomily as she organized her belongings. One by one she stacked several books into a growing pile as her thoughts turned to the boy who should have been her boyfriend instead. It wasn't until a particular book caught her eye that the dread of the oncoming confrontation was forgotten, and replaced by excitement over finding Charlie the perfect birthday gift.</p><p>A small book, titled A History of Animals with Magic sat in her hand. It was the book she had tried to distract Malfoy and his friends with in the room of requirement as she had attempted to hide the diadem from them. She must have tossed it into her bag out of reflex before running away.</p><p>Hermione brought it closer to her face to look it over. As Charlie was an avid animal lover, she wanted to make sure that it was both informative and something he would appreciate. It was also a book she had never read after all, and her curiosity was peaked.</p><p>The cover was a pale green in color, with a gold title and little yellow drawings all over it. Most of the drawings were thin lines that made up different creatures, a snake with barred fangs caught her eye in particular.</p><p>After thoroughly studying the cover, she finally flipped to the inside. The first two pages were about how owls are able to know who and where to deliver letters to. It seems they have a bit of magic of their own to be able to do this with so little instruction. The book itself seemed to be about normal animals with rare or unintended bits of magic more-so than about actual magical creatures.</p><p>The book had metaphorically pulled Hermione in, so she continued to read on; picking up interesting facts along the way. It wasn't until she was almost a third of the way in that she came across something noteworthy. A small passage about something called a Maledictus.</p><p>A Maledictus is not actually an animal at all, but a witch with a rare blood curse. A curse that allows them to turn into an animal at will; sort of like an animagus, but with the added risk of one day never being able to return to their human form. The curse is passed down generation to generation, from mother to daughter; as only women are affected. Over the course of the past century many of these women have chosen not to reproduce in order to save any offspring from suffering the same fate they themselves were in store for.</p><p>In the late 1800's to early 1900's there were several known Maledicti in Europe; most of which permanently ended up as snakes; specifically a very large variety of Viper. It is rumored that once the final stage has set in these vipers travel to South America to live out the rest of their cursed lives.</p><p>"Vipers?" Hermione asked herself out loud with crinkled brows.</p><p>That was twice now that the subject of vipers had come up in her search for how to defeat Nagini. And maybe, she thought, it was time to take her research to the next level.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>It was another Saturday. Chilly this time, as it was now early December.</p><p>"Where are we going?" Hermione asked as she bundled her scarf around her neck with her free hand; the other held tightly by Charlie as he dragged her along the treeline of the forbidden forest.</p><p>"It's a surprise." He grinned as he continued to drag her along.</p><p>"You aren't taking us into the forest are you?" She asked nervously. "I've been in there more than enough to last me a lifetime."</p><p>"No. Not into it." He chuckled as they passed by Hagrid's hut. "Maybe next week though."</p><p>Hermione scoffed as she continued to follow him along. He had joked months ago about taking her in there on his own birthday, which was only a week away now.</p><p>Eventually they curved around the other side of the treeline where there was a small set of stables known to temporarily house some of the injured creatures Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn tended to look after.</p><p>"You are familiar with Hagrid in the future if I remember correctly from your story of the Norwegian Ridgeback?" Charlie asked as he held the front stable gate open for her.</p><p>"Very." She confirmed. "He's the one who fetched Harry from his aunt and uncle's house to get him ready for Hogwarts. He will practically become family to Harry, Ron and I."</p><p>"Oh." He looks a little surprised. "That's good to hear actually. I tend to help him out when needed, so I'm glad there are others who will be there for him once I leave."</p><p>"He always did speak highly of you." She informed him. "...though Fred and George not so much."</p><p>Charlie snorted as he escorted her to the stall that was in the farthest back corner. "No surprises there, but Hagrid needing someone to step in today is actually why we are here."</p><p>Hermione heard a swish as they approached, and upon peeking her head over the side of the wooden gate she noticed what appeared to be a young pure gold horse laying down; its hooves propped out in front of it. Upon further inspection, she noticed a tiny, silver, cone shaped object protruding from it's forehead.</p><p>"A unicorn?" She asked rhetorically as she slid the latch to the gate open.</p><p>"Yes." He confirmed as she slipped into the stall with her. "Hagrid had to make a run to Knockturn Alley today to get some particular supplies, and asked if I could look in on this little fellow today."</p><p>"Whats wrong with him?" She asked as Charlie followed her inside and re-latched the lock behind them.</p><p>"Hagrid saved him from an Acromantula web last night." He explained. "His back leg must have broken in his attempt to free himself."</p><p>"Oh, poor thing." Herminoe grimaced as Charlie approached it slowly.</p><p>Hermione watched as he unwrapped the bandages on the foals leg. Unicorns usually preferred females and seemed to shun anything the exuded testosterone, but the display in front of her made her realize why exactly everyone had always praised Charlie for his way with animals.</p><p>"Yeah, you're doing just fine aren't you?" He asked it as he scratched it under the chin.</p><p>The young unicorn let out a small nicker in response and nuzzled it's nose against the palm of Charlie's hand. He smiled as he stroked its snout with the backs of his fingers.</p><p>Once he knew the golden foal was calm to his presence, Charlie began to squirt a large amount of ointment onto the damaged leg and massaged it slowly into the skin of it's back leg.</p><p>"Good boy." He cooed at it. "Good boy."</p><p>Hermione watched him in awe as he continued to try and soothe the small beast while the ointment worked its own magic. Charlie was completely in his element and she couldn't help but smile at the sight of it. Helping animals and other magical creatures was clearly what he was meant to do.</p><p>As she continued to watch the interaction between Charlie and the tiny unicorn, she could almost feel herself falling more in love with him.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>"So I know we got off topic a few weeks ago." Charlie broke the long silence as they were snuggled up together in front of the Gryffindor fire; the common room mostly empty due to the late hour. "But how did you and my brother become friends again?"</p><p>"Ron and I started out almost enemies actually. I was constantly showing him up and trying to correct him." He gave her a knowing look that made her smack him. "Yeah I was a bit of a swot, but I meant well."</p><p>Charlie laughed as he slid his arm over her shoulder. "I can picture it clearly." He teased. "So how did you get passed your personality differences?"</p><p>"Him and Harry saved me from a mountain troll Halloween of first year."</p><p>He glared at her in shock. "Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a long story that's going to freak me out, and then guarantee that I'm going to have to keep to myself in Romania so I'm not tempted to change the past?"</p><p>Hermione grinned devilishly. "Because it is. Now do you want to know how everything is about to play out or not?"</p><p>"Yes." He sighed and pulled her a little closer into his chest.</p><p>"Well technically they locked the troll in with me in the first place, but they didn't realize it was a girls bathroom, or that I was inside it until they heard me scream." She explained. "Turns out you can't really go through something like that without it bonding you for life."</p><p>Charlie looked both mortified, yet still curious. "Okay, so that brought the three of you together, and you then went on to get into lots of dangerous trouble over the next seven years." He nodded. "But how did you end up almost falling for my brother, instead of the boy who lived?"</p><p>Hermione snorted. "First off, Harry and I are both only children so our bond is more brotherly and sisterly than the adolescent crushes Ron and I developed. And second, Ginny would have bat-bogey hexed me into the next millennium if she even thought Harry and I had a connection that went passed platonic."</p><p>"Ginny what?" He sat up abruptly in shock; looking not unlike a guard dog who had just heard the mailman at the door.</p><p>In an attempt to not stoke the fire of brotherly rage, Hermione held back the laugh that she really wanted to let loose at the look on his face. "Yes, Ginny and Harry dated for a bit in her fifth year. He only broke it off because he was worried she would be targeted by death eaters in an attempt to get to him."</p><p>"As an older brother I feel conflicted." He said trying to relax again. "I kind of want to beat him up for dating my baby sister, but his nobility is hinting that he may also deserve some respect."</p><p>"Well he does love her very much." She tried to assure him. "It really hurt him to have to break things off with her, but I think they are both hoping to pick back up where they left off once the war is over."</p><p>Charlie wrapped his arm back around her shoulder as he leaned back against the cushions. "That's fine...Just as long as he keeps his hands to himself."</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While Charlie was at quidditch practice, which seemed to be her only opportunity to be alone these days, Hermione slipped back into the restricted section of the library. The knowledge of how to defeat Nagini had to be in here somewhere, and she needed to find it before returning to her own time. She had already wasted three of her precious nine months, and if she didn't make any progress soon, her time was sure to run out before she found all of the answers she needed.</p><p>As careful as humanly possible, she slid The Founders from its hiding spot; the place Tom Riddle had left it in thirty years earlier. She flipped to the back of it; wanting to confirm what she was pretty sure she remembered from a month ago, but needing to see it with her own eyes for confirmation. She scanned the few pages of Salazar Slytherin's life until she came across the part she was looking for; the details his grandson Sanderson had passed on to the unknown writer.</p><p>Without delay, Sylvia forced the door open magically with the intention of finding her father and questioning him. She was unfortunately met by the hissing and slithering of three different vipers entering the room instead. Being the only child of Slytherin to not possess the gift of parseltongue, she began to panic and backed up as far into the room as she could.</p><p>Just when she thought she was doomed and that her father had lured her to her death, she heard a familiar voice hissing back at them from the adjoining hallway. The three vipers retreated from her frightened form instantly, and took their place on either side of Salazar; along with the other five snakes that were already accompanying him into the room.</p><p>After greeting his frightened daughter lovingly, he informed her of his travels that had finally lead him to an island just off the shore of Brazil.</p><p>The cogs inside Hermione's brain went into overdrive as she pieced the clues she had found together. The book she planned on giving to Charlie for his birthday had mentioned that many of the maledictus' had relocated to South America once they became permanently trapped in their serpent form.</p><p>Brazil was in South America.</p><p>Hermione now had a direction to go that would hopefully lead her and her friends to victory. First she needed to dig up some more information on Maledictus' to see if there was a weakness she could exploit. And second, as dangerous as it would certainly be, she needed to visit that island.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>After checking out a few books for research on the Maledictus, Hermione headed to the great hall for dinner. It was rumored that the house elves had made chicken pot pie, and she was looking forward to eating an entire one all by herself. As she searched the table for not only Charlie. but most of her new friends as well, she came to the conclusion that quidditch practice must have run a little longer than usual.</p><p>Sarah and Laura were at their usual spot, so she sat down in front of the gossiping pair while awaiting everyone else. As soon as her bag touched the table, the two of them stopped whispering and forced a pair of fake smiles on their faces.</p><p>"Everything okay?" Hermione asked them curiously as she pulled one of the pies onto her plate. This was not how they usually greeted her.</p><p>"Fine." Laura clearly lied through her teeth.</p><p>Hermione's eyes narrowed as she swallowed her first bite. Something was definitely up with them.</p><p>Sarah finally broke and scoffed. "Oh it's honestly probably nothing. That hag has probably already sunk her claws into her next target anyway. It's not like her to stay single you know?"</p><p>Her brows wrinkled further as she stared at her new friends. "Would either of you care to explain what it is you are actually talking about?"</p><p>Before either Laura or Sarah could answer, a hand slammed a bulky bit of parchment down on the table in front of her. After a small jolt from the surprise, Hermione realized that it was actually a magazine; specifically that days copy of Witch Weekly.</p><p>She turned her head to discover that the owner of said hand belonged to Lilac Brown, who looked entirely too happy.</p><p>"I wouldn't get too comfortable if I were you Walters." She grinned before gleefully skipping out of the great hall.</p><p>The three girls' eyes followed her as she hopped off, only refacing each other when Lilac was completely out of sight.</p><p>"Always a pleasure." Hermione muttered sarcastically before taking a sip of water from her goblet. As she picked up the magazine that had just been dropped in front of her, she almost had to spit the liquid back out when she saw the smiling man on the cover. The headline, Gilderoy Lockhart releases third best seller this year, surprised her almost as much as the, Get your copy of Holidays with Hags now!, written in fine print underneath.</p><p>Though she choked and coughed through her laughter, Hermione was able to get herself under control rather quickly. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand as she met the other girls eyes again. They were looking at her curiously.</p><p>"I know I like books and everything, but why would Lilac think I had any interest in what Gilderoy Lockhart is up to?"</p><p>Laura finally shook her head with a grimace before tapping the copy of Witch Weekly again. "No Jean, not that article...This one."</p><p>Hermione looked to the secondary headline in the corner where her friends finger was pointing to. There was a small picture of a handsome man who looked to be in his mid twenties. There was a smaller subtitle just underneath the picture reading Reginald Swepper gets publicly dumped: details on page 23.</p><p>Hermione looked back up at Laura; brows wrinkled once more. "Who is Reginald Swepper?" She asked.</p><p>"He's the heir of the Swepper family." Laura attempted to explain. "You know...The ones who founded the Cleansweep Broom Company."</p><p>Hermione shoved another spoonful of the savory pie into her mouth; chewing slowly and swallowing before talking again. "I'm even more confused. What does any of that have to do with me?"</p><p>Sarah clapped one hand to her forehead with a groan. "Oh she's hopeless."</p><p>"It's not Reg himself." Laura sighed before leaning over to flip the magazine to page twenty-three so Hermione could read it for herself. "It's who dumped him that Lilac thinks might get a rise out of you."</p><p>Now realizing that there might actually be something wrong, Hermione pushed her plate of pie out of the way to make room for the bulky magazine that now had her undivided attention. She read aloud, but only so that Laura and Sarah could hear as well.</p><p>"Reginald Swepper, heir to the Cleansweep fortune, was overheard this past weekend as he argued with his now ex-fiance Heather St. Clair."</p><p>Hermione paused; she recognized that name from when the two girls sitting in front of her had mentioned her a few weeks ago. Heather St. Clair had been the girl Charlie dated most of his fifth year; two years prior. Now that she knew why this article pertained to her, she looked at the other pictures that were moving about the page. Sarah had been right: Heather was extremely beautiful. She suddenly felt inadequate in comparison.</p><p>"The pair, who only got engaged in late May, appeared to be arguing over her refusal to sign a prenuptial agreement of sorts." Hermione continued. "Several diners at the Blue Moon Cafe in Diagon Alley confirmed that Heather had the final word; screaming 'I have other options, I don't have to take this shit from you' before throwing her 6 karat engagement ring and storming out. Will the pair reconcile? Or will Miss St. Clair seek out one of these other so called options? I, Rita Skeeter, personally believe we won't have to wait long to find out."</p><p>Hermione laid the magazine back down on the table carefully, no longer hungry. It seemed Lilac had an irritating knack for ruining her favorite foods.</p><p>"As I said." Sarah spoke up again. "She's probably not talking about Charlie. I doubt she waited more than a day before hitting up whoever was next in line. In fact, she dated someone new almost every year that she went here."</p><p>"Sarah's right." Laura interjected. "Heather has probably already forgotten Charlie even exists."</p><p>Though Hermione knew very little about Charlie's dating history, she felt her new friends were trying just a little too hard to convince her that Heather was old news.</p><p>XXXXXXXX</p><p>Charlie hadn't joined her for dinner that night. Devon had appeared half way through, and informed her that he and Avery were still talking with Madam Hooch about their upcoming tryouts for the National team in January. Though Avery joined them ten minutes later, Charlie was nowhere to be found until almost two hours later.</p><p>As Hermione walked down one of the vast hallways, her mind was racing with thoughts of Charlie trying to get in contact with his gorgeous ex. She figured it's what he would have done had she not shown up by accident this year. As she was mulling over the new information, she suddenly found her back pressed firmly against a wall.</p><p>Familiar lips pressed against her own, and any worries she'd had before he found her were now completely forgotten. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck as she succumbed to his demanding kiss.</p><p>It wasn't long before he hoisted her up into his arms, and carried her the few feet to the window seat under the large bay window on the sixth floor. She felt the thin seat cushion under her back at the same time she felt the weight of a heavier body cover hers.</p><p>"Hi." Charlie grinned down at her.</p><p>It seemed, due to the happy expression on his face, that he either hadn't heard about the article in Witch Weekly, or simply did not care. Either way, she was glad to see that he was still just as happy to see her as always.</p><p>"Hello Charles." She teased him.</p><p>"Now, Jeanie." He grinned more devilishly against her lips. "I thought I warned you about that."</p><p>He swallowed her laughter with a kiss; as he dug the fingers of one hand into her ribs, where he knew she was most ticklish, the other was holding her in place so she couldn't escape.</p><p>"Stop, stop!" She laughed into his neck as she tried to wiggle away without success. "I surrender."</p><p>Though he did stop his cruel method of torture, he did not let her go; instead using the fingers of his now free hand to tuck a curl behind her ear.</p><p>"Oh you do, do you?" His grin grew even further. "And what do I get for accepting your surrender?"</p><p>Hermione leaned her head up to capture his lips with hers again. She slowly and seductively sucked and nibbled at his lower lip before resting her head back against the cushion again.</p><p>"Was that an acceptable prize?" She teased, feeling him shudder slightly over the top of her.</p><p>"More than acceptable." He nodded before closing the gap between their lips again.</p><p>Hermione gleefully returned his kiss, holding his face between the palms of her hands. It started off slow and sweet, both of them taking their time; focusing only on each other.</p><p>After several minutes of heavy snogging, she could feel the tips of his fingers graze the outside of her thigh; the pads rubbing soothing circles slowly up the tights she wore under her pleated skirt. The kisses were obviously turning more heated with every second.</p><p>With a firm grip, he hooked his right hand under her knee and used it to pry her legs open a little wider. She whimpered slightly when she felt his hips push against her; the weight and the heat of his body sending a figurative shock through her body.</p><p>Her ankle wrapped itself around his calf for leverage to push back against him, which in turn caused him to move his trail of kisses to the sensitive spot just above her collarbone. She moaned into the night air as his teeth grazed it.</p><p>The pair seemed to be lost in each other as they clumsily ground against each other, and it wasn't until a rather scratchy cough rang throughout the alcove they were in that they finally and quickly broke apart.</p><p>Hermione pushed him back up and off her as she adjusted her skirt. A blush was staining her face as she attempted to flatten her flyaway hair. And Charlie, who was just as red in the face as she was, was attempting to discover the identity of the person who had so rudely interrupted their snog as he adjusted his own clothing.</p><p>"Bloody teenagers." The large portrait of a very grumpy looking old man huffed before turning and walking out of his frame.</p><p>Now that they were alone again, Charlie sighed in relief that they hadn't actually been caught before chuckling nervously. "Sorry, I got carried away again."</p><p>"It's alright." Hermione blushed with a bashful smile. "I was enjoying it too."</p><p>"You were?" He grinned, before scooting closer to her on the bench seat again.</p><p>Due to the pleased yet teasing look on his face, Hermione crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at him. "It doesn't mean I'm ready to throw caution to the wind just yet." She scolded. "But, yes. It was rather...hot." She blushed again.</p><p>He chuckled again before placing a kiss on her cheek. "You're rather adorable when you get embarrassed you know?"</p><p>"Shut up." She turned away from him bashfully. "But speaking of hot…"</p><p>Hermione hated to ruin his fun and lighthearted mood, but the article in Witch Weekly had been itching at the back of her mind since dinner. She knew she wouldn't be able to clear her head and focus on her task until she figured out what exactly was going on with him.</p><p>"Yes?" He asked, unaware of the touchy subject she was about to breach.</p><p>"Why does Lilac think I need to worry about someone named Heather St. Clair?"</p><p>Hermione could practically feel him stiffen as the blonde girl's name left her lips. He released a small and almost silent sigh as he realized what she had just asked.</p><p>"So you did see the article in Witch Weekly then?" He responded stiffly.</p><p>"Laura and Sarah told me about her a few weeks ago." She confessed. "And yes, Lilac dropped her copy in front of me at dinner."</p><p>Charlie now looked a little more nervous, but with her eyes cast down she did not see. "What else did they tell you?"</p><p>Hermione's eyes shifted back up to look at him again. "Just that she was really pretty, and you only broke up because she graduated two years before you were set to."</p><p>"Yeah, well. That's pretty much it." He grumbled uncomfortably.</p><p>It was clear by that question that the heat from their previous mood had completely cooled. She had known that he'd had a previous relationship that was more serious than any of her unofficial romantic flings, but the fact that it was still such a touchy subject was definitely news to her.</p><p>Hermione decided she still needed to press further. If he still cared that much about a breakup from a year and a half ago she didn't like what that could mean for their newfound romance's future.</p><p>"So how serious was it?" She asked, her head tilted to look at him. He stiffened further by her question. "Before the breakup, I mean."</p><p>"I'd really rather not talk about Heather anymore tonight, Hermione."</p><p>She paused nervously as she stared him down for a moment. "Alright." She finally agreed before giving him a reassuring kiss. Hermione knew by the way he said her real first name that she would get nothing more out of him tonight other than an argument; which is why she dropped the subject. For only the second time since arriving to the past she could clearly see the family resemblance to his youngest brother. It stung that things weren't as strong between them as she'd thought. In fact, it now worried her that maybe he'd had something stronger with Heather after all.</p><p>Charlie leaned in close again, obviously sensing that she was silently questioning things. He slipped both hands to the back of her neck to tilt her head to look at him.</p><p>"As far as I am concerned Hermione, she is in the past." He kissed her slow and gentle, only breaking apart again when he was sure any self doubt had been cast away. "It's you who is my present." He kissed her again. "And it's you I want in my future."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Caramel Cobwebs." Hermione said aloud.</p><p>The gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office promptly jumped aside; revealing the winding staircase she had come to know far too well over her time at Hogwarts. As she ascended it for her scheduled meeting, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Today had the potential to completely change her life after all, and in more ways than just one.</p><p>"Miss Walters." Dumbledore greeted her as she entered the room where he took his appointments. "It's been a few weeks; how have you been faring since our last meeting?"</p><p>"Very well actually." Hermione responded, wasting no time. "I think I may have discovered something worth looking into further, which is why I requested this meeting in the first place."</p><p>"That's wonderful news." He replied calmly. "How can I assist?"</p><p>"There is an island off the coast of Brazil inhabited only by snakes." She informed him. "Vipers mainly, each venomous enough to kill a human within a few hours. I need to go there."</p><p>Dumbledore stared at her in what was either shock, confusion, or a little bit of both for a moment before answering. "That is a very curious request."</p><p>"It has come up twice now in my research. I don't think that's a coincidence." She continued without revealing much. "Is there a way for me to get there and back without getting killed in the process?"</p><p>"I believe we can manage that." He nodded coyly. "I can make you a portkey that will get you there and back, but we will have to wait until Christmas Break. This is a sensitive matter, and we wouldn't want any of your new friends asking questions about your whereabouts. Since you will be here for the holidays anyway, we can use that as a cover."</p><p>"That's fair." Hermione agreed. "What about the snakes? How do I keep them from attacking me?"</p><p>"I believe there is a modified version of the bubble head charm that can protect your entire person from outside sources, but I will need to double check it. If I remember correctly it is a form of protection orb." The old headmaster replied thoughtfully. "Other than that I can make sure we have plenty of anti venom potion on hand and send a few vials with you on your journey."</p><p>"If the charm does exist and I can successfully learn it, that should suffice." She replied. "When specifically can I leave?"</p><p>"The train leaves Sunday the twentieth, so how about the following Tuesday?" He asked.</p><p>"Works for me." She nodded.</p><p>"There are a few hours time difference, and I imagine daytime would be preferable whence traveling to your desired location, so let's say meet here at noon on that day?"</p><p>Hermione scoffed uncomfortably at the thought of what going to snake island at night would be like. "Yes, daylight is much preferred. Noon will be perfect."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXX</p><p>"Guess who?" Hermione laughed as she covered his eyes from behind.</p><p>She had caught up to him as soon as her meeting with Dumbledore had concluded, and had found the opportunity to sneak up on him from behind.</p><p>"Hmmm? Let me think." He replied sarcastically from his sitting position on the bench she had found him at. "Is it my girl by any chance?</p><p>Her heart soared at the sounds of him calling her 'his girl', and she dropped her hands; making her way around in front of him with a grin. "How ever did you guess?"</p><p>"Oh, Jean it's you!" Charlie joked in return with a mischievous grin. "Could have sworn you were someone else."</p><p>Hermione backhanded him in the chest as she plopped down into his lap. "You're such a prat." She growled at him before pecking him on the lips. "Happy Birthday anyway though."</p><p>"Thanks. It's much happier now that you've joined me." He replied; sliding his arms around her back to keep her upright. "How did your meeting go?"</p><p>"It was fine." She replied simply before kissing him again to try and distract him.</p><p>"Jean?" He scolded her, pulling his face away from her slightly. "You aren't keeping secrets from me again are you?</p><p>"No." She lied bashfully before catching the irritated look on his face. "Okay yes. I'm planning on doing something dangerous over Christmas Break, and I had to get Dumbledore's assistance with it; but I'd rather tell you the details about it when you get back from the burrow next month."</p><p>He leaned back further to stare at her and growled in annoyance. "I'm starting to think you're more of a troublemaker than either my brother or Harry Potter...Besides, what makes you think I'm even planning on going home for Christmas?" He asked; softening his tone a little. "I'd much rather spend it with you; especially now that I know you plan on getting yourself into more trouble while I'd be gone."</p><p>As much as Hermione loved the idea of spending Christmas with him, she knew deep down that it wasn't an option. He would have gone home if he hadn't met her this year, so he had to stay the course. She also knew he would attempt to go to the island with her, and she couldn't risk him getting hurt or killed. Not when he had at least another eight years of life ahead of him.</p><p>"If I wasn't here, in 1989, would you be staying?"</p><p>"Well, No." He looked confused. "I tend to spend the holidays at home."</p><p>"Exactly." She explained. "Because you should be with your family."</p><p>"I have spent every year with them Hermione." He slipped his hands into the hair at the base of her neck. "This, however, is my only Christmas with you." He placed a firm kiss to her lips. "I want to make the most of what little time we have."</p><p>"Charlie." Hermione sighed. "I don't know what's going to happen once I get back to my own time. I know all of your family has survived up until the moment I left, but we were right in the middle of the biggest battle yet." She paused to gauge his reaction, which hinted her words were frightening him at least a little. "Their fate could change at any moment. One of your brother's, your parents, or Ginny could die not five minutes after I make it back. Don't you see that this could be one of the last times your whole family is together for the holidays?"</p><p>His body stilled beneath her, and she could feel his heart racing under her palms.</p><p>"Is this dangerous thing you are planning on doing going to help?" He asked after a small pause. "Will it give my family a better chance of survival?"</p><p>"Yes." She nodded, hoping that it actually would. They were practically family to her as well.</p><p>"Well I guess you better wait to tell me when I get back then."</p><p>XXXXXXXXX</p><p>After their heavy topic of conversation, they had spent the rest of the day in each other's company; leisurely exploring the grounds between heavy snogging sessions. Currently, they were walking hand in hand; giggling slightly after getting yelled at after dinner by Filch. He apparently wasn't too fond of their public and very obvious displays of affection.</p><p>"That's about the reddest I think I've ever seen his face." Charlie chuckled once they had made it into the Gryffindor common room.</p><p>Hermione had been laughing so hard she had two tears leak out of the corner of one eye. "Oh I've seen it much worse." She claimed as she wiped them away with a single finger. "After dealing with Fred and George's shenanigans mostly."</p><p>"They're only going to get worse, aren't they?" He asked as he pulled her to the staircase on the left. The one that led to the boys dorms.</p><p>Hermione laughed again while following after him mindlessly. "You have no idea."</p><p>Once they were all the way up to the seventh year dorms, Charlie closed the door behind them. It seemed that he wanted to get away from the bustle of the common room downstairs.</p><p>"You know you have just about the most adorable laugh I think I've ever heard." He said as he tucked a flyaway curl behind her right ear.</p><p>"Really?" She asked thoughtfully; trying unsuccessfully to picture what her own laugh sounded like.</p><p>"Yeah, it's a pretty funny sound actually." He grinned at the thought. "They start out soft and ladylike, and then the longer you laugh the squeakier it becomes. And if I can get a long string of giggles out of you in a row, you end up snorting several times in a row. It's quite a sight."</p><p>"Well I've always been a rather serious person really." She admitted bashfully. "I don't think anyone has ever made me laugh like you do. You bring out the humorous side of me I wasn't even quite sure I had."</p><p>"I'm glad." He said before dipping his head down to kiss her enthusiastically.</p><p>Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck out of reflex; partly to bring herself closer to him, and partly to keep herself upright. She still wasn't used to losing her senses when he kissed her. She unconsciously felt his hands fumbling with something by her neck at the same time his tongue slipped its way past her lips. Seconds later two thuds were heard as she felt something heavy fall to the ground by their feet.</p><p>"It's too bloody hot for these things up here." He growled before kissing his way down the now exposed flesh of her neck.</p><p>It was then that Hermione realized that he had unfastened both of the winter cloaks they had been dawning just seconds earlier, and that the sounds she had heard had been them hitting the stone floor. She sighed breathily as he nipped a particularly sensitive spot just above her collar bone, which brought at least a few of her senses flooding back.</p><p>"Don't you want the gift I got you before we decide to take this too far?" She chuckled into his ear.</p><p>Charlie took a deep breath against her shoulder before lifting his head back up to meet her gaze. "Yeah." He smiled and returned her laugh. "I guess I do."</p><p>Hermione grinned and lifted the strap of her bag over her head; sitting gracefully down at the foot of the bed closest to them, which she assumed was his. She rummaged through the purse for a moment, as Charlie came to sit beside her, before pulling a pristinely wrapped package out of it.</p><p>"I didn't have a lot of options, since I've been stuck here at Hogwarts the entire time I've been in the past." She said as she handed it to him. "But I hope you'll like it just the same."</p><p>Charlie grinned like a small child on Christmas as he tore the wrapping paper off. The festive parchment dropped to the floor seconds later in his haste to uncover what she had picked for him. The small, pale green book she had come across by chance stared up at him.</p><p>"A history of animals with magic." He read aloud before flipping it to the first page. "Looks just up my alley."</p><p>He wrapped his arm closest to her around her shoulders before placing a kiss to the top of her head. "Thanks Hermione."</p><p>"Of course." She grinned, proud that she'd been able to find something he liked. "Happy Birthday."</p><p>He pressed another kiss to her cheek. "Though there is one more thing you could do that would make this birthday even better." He hinted slyly.</p><p>Hermione snorted at him. "Oh, and what's that?" She asked skeptically.</p><p>"You could agree to accompany me to Hogsmeade next weekend." He grinned confidently.</p><p>"There's a trip the day before everyone leaves for the holidays?" She asked; most likely unaware since she'd been focusing so much on her meeting with Dumbledore the past few days.</p><p>"Yeah. A week from today." He said. "To give everyone the opportunity to shop for Christmas."</p><p>"Sure." She agreed happily. "I'd love to."</p><p>Last time he had asked, she'd felt obligated to keep him at a distance and had rejected his offer with a lie. Now that she had finally given in to their undeniable chemistry and told him the truth, there was nothing standing in her way.</p><p>"Yeah?" He asked excitedly.</p><p>"Of course." Hermione confirmed. "Now that you know where I come from, I don't have to hideout anymore."</p><p>"Thank Merlin for that." He whispered under his breath.</p><p>"It sounds fun to pick out gifts for your family together." She added excitedly. "Especially since I probably know them just as well as you do anyway."</p><p>Charlie snorted. "You know, I keep forgetting that." He said. "Have you spent a lot of time with them? Other then with Ron I mean."</p><p>"A fair amount." She nodded. "I mean, except for Bill, I've now attended school with all of you Weasley children." She laughed. "I also stay at the burrow a lot during the summer, in Ginny's room. She's by far my best female friend." She added looking down, now getting sad at the thought of her. "I miss her."</p><p>"I bet." He said solemnly, looking like he missed his little sister as well. She had only been two when he left for his first year of Hogwarts after all, and barely got to spend any time with her afterwards.</p><p>They sat in silence for a moment, both thinking about his family and hoping they would all make it out of the war alright.</p><p>Charlie's left hand slowly slipped it's way against the right side of her neck, his head dipping so he could look into her eyes on her level.</p><p>"I love you." He whispered before claiming her lips with his again.</p><p>The kiss started off gentle and tender, as if he meant to comfort her without words. One of Hermione's arms wrapped itself around his neck, to hold herself close to him while her free hand rested against his chest. She loved him too, but didn't feel like breaking the kiss just to reiterate what he already knew.</p><p>It wasn't long before his mouth opened slightly, his tongue tracing it's way across her bottom lip to hint he wanted access to the rest of her mouth. Charlie held her head in place with the hand against her neck, while the other braced itself against the mattress.</p><p>Hermione mewled as his mouth dominated hers; his lips and tongue demanding to be met touch for touch. As soon as her mouth opened to his request, it was as if a flip had been switched.</p><p>Slowly, she felt herself being tilted backwards; inch by inch, until she felt the softness of the mattress at her back. Her heart skipped a beat from the unanticipated impact, and she felt a gasp escape her mouth; going strait into his. His body covered hers, as his lips continued their control over her.</p><p>Usually, her instincts would have told her to push him away at that point, but this time it felt right. As if everything would somehow be better if he just kept doing what he was doing. Slowly his right hand made its way to her knee; massaging it gently before moving up to her thigh. He groaned against her lips as he settled further between her legs, and she could feel something hard brush against her hip bone. Her knickers suddenly felt far damper than normal.</p><p>Since she'd only had her meeting with Dumbledore that morning, she was still wearing the same outfit she'd chosen to meet him in. She had wanted to look a little more professional than her normal Saturday attire, and because she'd had very little clothes with her when she arrived to the past, she ended up choosing her normal school skirt with an added pair of tights and leg warmers underneath. The weather had also been quite cold that week, so she'd ended up pairing that with the warmest jumper she could find.</p><p>Hermione slowly realized how heated she was getting. Her skin was on fire, and her face felt flushed, but she also felt as if it wasn't enough. She didn't want him to back off, or stop touching her. She in fact wanted more; much more.</p><p>Hermione slid her hands to his shoulders and pushed up. Not enough to push him off her completely, but just enough so she could look him in the eyes again. "Why are we on your bed Charlie?" She whispered.</p><p>"Devon said he was going to clear the dorm for an hour or two after dinner, and I honestly thought it might be nice to snog somewhere a bit more private for a change." He claimed, leaning up off her slightly. "He said it would be his birthday gift to me... but we can go right back downstairs if you feel uncomfortable."</p><p>"No, Charlie." She shook her head. "I don't want to go back downstairs."</p><p>"You don't?" He looked surprised, but also extremely pleased.</p><p>"I'm not saying I want to go all the way." She faltered nervously before pressing on. "But what if I said I wanted to go further? Would you want that too?"</p><p>Charlie coughed slightly in the back of his throat, obviously surprised by her question. He had to postpone his answer in order to recover, it was obviously he was trying not to grin. "I don't think you could possibly know just how much I would want that too."</p><p>She shuddered nervously from underneath him. While he'd been kissing and massaging her knee earlier she'd felt so sure about it, but now that he was excitedly staring down at her she felt less so; not knowing exactly what he might expect from her.</p><p>"So what do you want to do?" She whispered self consciously. "How do we start?"</p><p>Noticing her mixture of nervousness and uncertainty, he stroked the back of one thumb against her cheek. "We go back to kissing." He replied softly. "We let things progress naturally, and if at any time you want me to stop, you only have to say the word."</p><p>His words seemed to calm her, and she felt a sense of excited anticipation creep up in her chest. She nodded in response to give her consent before relaxing comfortably against the mattress again.</p><p>For the third time since entering the room that night, Charlie's mouth descended on hers. His lips soft and slow to keep her calm, but his right hand went back to rest on her knee almost immediately. His left hand slowly made its way to her neck, where his thumb began to trace patterns behind her ear.</p><p>It was obvious he was holding himself back. He wanted to make sure sure was comfortable before pushing further. He was being so understanding and gentle with her that it instantly soothed any second thoughts she might have had.</p><p>He started to try and kiss his way to her neck, but Hermione stopped him; gripping his face between both her hands to keep his lips against hers. He complied easily, only smirking as he continued to snog her silly.</p><p>Gradually, things began to heat up again. His tongue slipped it's way into her mouth, and he used his grip on her knee to push it further up the bed. Her new position giving him the space he needed to nestle his hips between her thighs. They both groaned at the feel of him grinding against her in the process.</p><p>"What are you doing to me?" She asked as he finally broke free to kiss his way down the column of her throat.</p><p>He grinned as the fingertips of his left hand slid their way underneath the hem of her sweater. "Nothing you won't like." He whispered in confidence.</p><p>Hermione's fingernails pressed themselves into the skin at the back of his head as he nipped and sucked on the flesh of her neck. His hand was now making its way up her side, causing her to shudder in anticipation. She knew he was taking things slow for her sake, but at the same time it felt like she was being teased.</p><p>"Take your shirt off." She demanded in his ear before giving his jumper a bit of a tug.</p><p>She had seen him shirtless before; both that day in the prefects bathroom, and once as he had de-gnomed the garden at the request of his mother; but she was eager to see him bare chested now. She had time to study and explore his muscles at her leisure and was excited to take full advantage.</p><p>Charlie snorted at her eagerness, but did as she requested. He leaned up off her just enough to throw the offending garment off over his head. It landed precariously on one of the ornate carvings of the headboard.</p><p>Once he was free from the confines of his heavy knit jumper, he leaned down to reattach their lips; resting his left side against the mattress beside her instead of nestling himself back between her legs. Hermione's hands went straight to his pecs where they began to study every ridge and plane of his muscles. 'Hopefully he will still be interested enough in me when I get back to the future that I can compare notes' she thought as she kissed him back fervorously.</p><p>The fingers of his right hand dipped underneath the layer of waistbands holding her knickers, tights, and skirt in place. "Is this alright?" He asked, his intentions clear.</p><p>"Yes." She answered breathily; nodding as her hands continued their exploration.</p><p>His hand slipped down even further; the pad of his middle finger pressing itself against the place she most ached to be touched. A yelp of pleasure escaped her throat involuntarily at the sensation; her head thrown back against his mattress out of reflex.</p><p>Hermione's hands froze as he began to rub her sensitive clit around in circles. She bit her bottom lip in order to keep herself from moaning out loud.</p><p>"That's it." He whispered as he peppered kissed over her throat and jawline; his finger still playing with the sensitive bud.</p><p>She could feel his erection throbbing against the outside of her thigh, and the combination of that and his fingers were making her much too hot. For a second she considered reaching down to stroke him through his pants in an attempt to even the score, but his hand dipping even lower caused her to lose her train of thought.</p><p>A whimper escaped her from the sudden change in contact. His middle finger was now slowly embedding itself inside her, touching her places she hadn't even dared to touch herself; his thumb taking its place on her clit.</p><p>"It's going to feel so good." He whispered as he began to thrust two fingers in and out of her.</p><p>"What is?" She gasped as she tried not to moan out too loud. It felt incredible, and she didn't want anyone downstairs to hear them and come to investigate.</p><p>"When I'm inside you for real." He answered, taking a deep breath before claiming her lips again.</p><p>Hermione moaned softly again as he continued to pump his finger in and out of her. He was making her feel so good and it made her realize just why everyone else her age was so obsessed with sex.</p><p>It didn't take long for him to bring her to her first orgasm; adding another finger inside her as his thumb kept rubbing in circles. He kissed her hard as the first wave hit her, swallowing her scream as she rode it out. Her eyes scrunched shut as she nearly blacked out from the pleasure.</p><p>After several deep breaths, Hermione opened her eyes to see him looking rather like the cat who ate the canary. He was grinning at her in a way that instantly made her cheeks turn red; he looked entirely too proud of himself.</p><p>"Wow." She gasped as she brushed a bead of sweat that had formed on her forehead away with the back of her hand.</p><p>A deep chuckle erupted from him as he sat back up. "That's one way of putting it." He said as he held his hand out to help her back up into a sitting position.</p><p>Hermione shifted nervously in the afterglow of what they had just done. She straightened her rumpled clothing in an attempt to calm her nerves. She didn't regret letting him touch her like that, but she wasn't really sure what to do in the aftermath.</p><p>She watched him as he trekked his way to the headboard and grabbed his sweatshirt from where it had landed earlier. The way his muscles stretched when he slipped it back on over his head almost made her request a repeat performance. Especially when she could still see the outline of his very hard erection through his pants.</p><p>"You didn't want me to return the favor?" She asked before she could stop herself.</p><p>She wasn't entirely sure what she would do if he said yes, but it felt wrong to leave him with that; especially on his birthday of all days. It wasn't that she didn't want to; he had been so gentle and patient with her that she knew she wouldn't regret that either. It was just that she had no idea how or where to even start.</p><p>Charlie paused, cheshire grin turning to shock in an instant. To her relief he shook his head as he straightened his own clothing. She'd make sure to look up books on the subject later so she would be better prepared for the next time.</p><p>"Although I appreciate that, and fully plan on taking care of it myself; later and in the shower." He smirked again unabashed; sitting next to her on the bed to be close to her again. "I wanted tonight to be about you. I wanted to show you how good it can be, and hopefully entice you into a repeat performance in the not too distant future."</p><p>Hermione blushed at his insinuation. "Are you sure? I wanted to make you happy today. Just like you made me on my birthday."</p><p>"Trust me love." His cheshire like grin still firmly in place. "What we just did made me very, very happy."</p><p>He pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger before placing a gentle kiss to her lips.</p><p>"Best birthday you've ever had then?" She joked; reminiscent of her birthday in September.</p><p>"Definitely the best birthday I've ever had." He agreed before kissing her again.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>What the hell is a rubber duck?" Charlie asked as they argued over what to get his father for Christmas.</p><p>Hermione went into another fit of giggles. He had been making her laugh all day as they went from shop to shop in an attempt to get something for everyone in his family.</p><p>"I'm serious Jean." He said, only using her false name since they were in public. "It sounds like a rather vile and inappropriate gift to give to one's father."</p><p>"Oh don't be vile." She scolded with a light push to his arm. "It's a children's bath toy."</p><p>"Okay." He said as he scratched his head in thought. "Still not sure why he would want something like that, but if you insist."</p><p>"He loves learning new things about muggles." She reminded him as they exited Zonko's joke shop; having picked up more than half of the gifts from there. "But it's just one idea. Bad Bathilda's Bazaar around the corner gets some muggle items in from time to time, maybe we can search for something there."</p><p>"Sounds like a plan to me." He agreed as he escorted her down the snowy street; hand in hand. "It's a bit chilly out though. Want to grab a drink at The Three Broomsticks first?"</p><p>"If, by a drink, you mean a nice hot butterbeer, then sure." She grinned; knowing very well he had a different beverage in mind.</p><p>"Of course I meant butterbeer." He laughed as they changed direction toward the inn. "For you."</p><p>XXXXXXXXXX</p><p>Once inside The Three Broomsticks, Hermione excused herself to the bathroom while Charlie agreed to place their order at the bar. She smiled to herself in the mirror as she washed her hands.</p><p>Their connection only seemed to have deepened after their encounter on his bed the previous weekend. She'd blushed uncontrollably the next morning, embarrassed by how much she had enjoyed it. He, on the other hand, had greeted her excitedly; unable to hide how pleased he was by grinning from ear to ear.</p><p>He had been even more affectionate with her since his birthday as well, if that were even possible. There had also been times she'd caught him looking at her inappropriately in class; as if he was reminiscing. Though, to be honest, he wasn't the only one. Hermione had been thinking about it a lot herself, and was now almost positive she was ready to go further.</p><p>"Hey Jean!" Sarah suddenly said excitedly, as she joined her at the sink to wash her own hands. "Having a good day with Charlie?"</p><p>Hermione nodded with a grin. "Yes, what about you and Laura?"</p><p>"Oh, I'm having a great day." She responded, as she attempted to fix her windblown hair. "Haven't seen much of Laura though, she's out with Tyler from Ravenclaw again."</p><p>"Oh, does that mean you're wandering Hogsmeade by yourself?" Hermione asked, suddenly realizing she hadn't checked in on her new friends much the past week. "Because I'm sure Charlie wouldn't mind-"</p><p>Sarah held up one hand to stop her blabbering. "No, Jean. I'm fine thanks. When Devon found out we were both getting ditched this weekend he asked if I wanted to come with him so we could keep each other company."</p><p>"Devon?" Hermione smirked at her friend. "I thought he was a bad kisser?"</p><p>"Oh he was, in fourth year." Sarah grinned as she continued to fix her hair in the mirror. "But who knows. If he plays his cards right today, maybe I'll find out if he's improved or not."</p><p>She laughed at how bold and unashamed Sarah always was; at times she reminded her of Ginny, only a little more crass. Deciding to take a leaf out of her book, Hermione coughed under her breath to prepare herself for the question she was about to ask.</p><p>"So, um, speaking of kissing and furthering relationships…" She paused as she cringed at herself.</p><p>"Yeees?" Sarah asked interestedly.</p><p>"Let's say, that sometime in the near future, I might be ready to further Charlie and I's." Hermione tucked a bit of her unruly hair behind her ear nervously. "How would I go about protecting myself?"</p><p>Sarah smirked knowingly and tilted her head to one side. "Well between you and me, you came to the right friend."</p><p>"Yeah I get the feeling Laura can be a bit..." Hermione cringed for a second. "Judgey, about this sort of thing."</p><p>"Godric knows I love that girl, but can she ever be." Sarah snorted. "Sure knows how to keep me grounded though."</p><p>"Well the two of you do balance each other out, it's a good team."</p><p>"Agreed...Now, here." Sarah reached into her bag before handed over a small blue vial. "This should last an entire month."</p><p>Hermione looked the potion over curiously. "Are you sure?"</p><p>"It covers everything from pregnancy to STDs" She explained. "I'm due for my next round Christmas day, but I know where to get more so don't worry about it."</p><p>"Thanks." Hermoine smiled at her as she tucked it into her bag. "I mean I'm not sure I really need it, but it's good to have just in case."</p><p>"Right." Sarah smiled knowingly; she may be a bit ditzy, but she definitely knew Hermione wouldn't have asked about it unless she was serious. "No problem Jean."</p><p>XXXXXXXXX</p><p>When the two girls exited the bathroom, they parted ways; Sarah rejoining Devon at a small booth in the back, while Hermione headed to the bar to find Charlie. He looked entirely too handsome with his cheeks still flushed from the cold, and the usual grin that was on his face as he chuckled at something the barmaid said.</p><p>"Hey!"</p><p>He greeted her enthusiastically with a kiss to the cheek before handing her the foamy mug of butterbeer he had ordered for her. The top of it was so overfilled with whipped cream that a glob began to drip down the side. She slurped the drippy edge to stop it from making a bigger mess, before glancing over at the drink in his hand. It was steaming and amber colored while giving off a very distinct aroma of whiskey.</p><p>"Hot Toddy." He clarified as he held it out to her. "Want to try it? It has honey in it."</p><p>"No thanks." She shook her head before sipping at her own drink again.</p><p>She hummed happily as it seemed to warm her from the inside out. Charlie laughed at her when she pulled the glass back down in front of her. She was just about to ask why, when the pad of his thumb brushed itself firmly over the top of her lip.</p><p>"You had a bit of a mustache there." He smiled as he stuck his thumb in his mouth to suck the whipped cream off it.</p><p>The intimate gesture made her blush as her thoughts flashed back to the previous weeks activities again. Specifically to the other things he had done to her with the very thumb he was now licking clean. She was suddenly even more grateful to Sarah for supplying her with that potion. It just might come in handy even sooner than expected if he kept doing things like that.</p><p>"Thanks." She stammered. "Would you like to go find a table now?"</p><p>"Sure." He nodded with a knowing smirk as he grabbed one of her hands to help guide them to the seating area.</p><p>As they turned around to head toward the back corner, Charlie barely had time to lift his drink out of the way to avoid spilling it all over a person whom they hadn't even noticed was there. A small amount sloshed over the rim and onto the floor, but due to his quick reflexes none of the droplets spilled onto the woman who had approached them silently from behind.</p><p>"Sorry, I…" He started to say before realizing who it was he'd almost spilled his drink all over. "Heather?"</p><p>"Hi Charlie!" The overly pretty blonde smiled brightly at him before throwing her arms around his neck. His eyes widened, but he kept his drink at arms length out to his side to avoid further spillage.</p><p>Hermione felt her heart sink as she realized who had just crashed their Hogsmeade date. It turned out Heather St. Clair was even prettier in person than in that blasted copy of Witch Weekly Lilac had forced into her hands. Then as Charlie's hand dropped from hers to pat the other girl gently on the back it sank even further. Her lips parted as she watched the reunion going on in front of her.</p><p>"What..." Charlie shook his head slightly, trying to brush his shock away as he took a step back. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>"I came to see you silly!" Heather giggled slightly. "An old friend mentioned that it was a Hogsmeade weekend, so I thought it might be fun to come surprise you."</p><p>"Why?" He asked rather coldly, surprising both his old girlfriend and his new one.</p><p>Heather's smile faltered, but only slightly before she stepped toward him again to place a slow kiss to his jaw. "Can't a girl pay an old boyfriend a visit every once in a while? Just because she might have missed him."</p><p>"Well I'm not exactly here alone Heather." He informed her as he took another step back to move in close to Hermione. He hooked one arm around her waist. "This is Jean." He said, introducing the two. "My girlfriend."</p><p>"Oh!" Heather's eyes rounded in realization; a look of mortification etched into her features. She then held a hand out to Hermione, silently requesting for her to shake it as she forced another smile which was obviously fake this time. "Hi. I'm Heather. Heather St. Claire."</p><p>Hermione begrudgingly took the other girls hand, if only to seem polite. "Hello; yes, um, I know who you are actually."</p><p>Heather's fake smile turned into a smirk at her stuttering. "Oh good, then you won't mind leaving Charlie and I alone for a few minutes to catch up then?"</p><p>Though still taken aback, Hermione ended up nodding. She didn't want to cause a scene by refusing the other girls request. "S..Sure."</p><p>"Jean, No. No." Charlie shook his head, his arm tightening around her waist a little. "You don't have to-"</p><p>"It's alright." Hermione interrupted him before placing a small kiss straight to his lips. "I wanted to ask Madame Rosmerta if she could put a little more whipped topping on this anyway." She added with a gesture to her drink.</p><p>The idea of more whipped cream being added was obviously preposterous with the amount that was already dripping off the sides, but she pried herself from Charlie's hold anyway and walked back to the bar. She had no intention of actually making the ridiculous request as she leaned her elbows against the bartop. From this angle she could turn her head every once in a while to see them, but unfortunately their voices were just out of range.</p><p>Leaving the two of them alone together made her chest tighten with a certain dread. Thoughts of him rekindling the old flame and leaving her in the dust presented themselves in the forefront of her mind, as she watched what seemed to be a heated exchange from several feet away.</p><p>xxxxxxxxx</p><p>"Alright Heather." Charlie said in a flat tone once Hermione had stepped away. He folded his arms firmly over his chest as he shrugged. "What's your real reason for coming here today?"</p><p>"Well, to be honest, I wanted to see if you still had feelings for me." She said; getting straight to the point while tucking the entirety of her long straight hair over one shoulder. "I've been thinking about you a lot lately. Since before my recent breakup with Reg actually."</p><p>"Right." He asked stiffly. "And?"</p><p>Heather stepped directly in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "I've missed you Charlie." She whispered, giving him a solemn look. "I know that I broke up with you because I was scared of a long distance relationship while you were still in school, but you only have a few months left now. I think if you gave me another chance, we could be really good together. Especially now that we are both a little older and more mature."</p><p>Charlie sighed and rubbed his forehead with one hand before biting his bottom lip. "Heather, I'm already in love."</p><p>Her genuine smile resurfaced, much to his surprise. "It's good to hear that you still feel that way after all this time."</p><p>"No, Heather." He cringed with a nervous laugh. "Not with you...with Jean."</p><p>"What?" Her mouth gaped as she began to glare daggers at him. "That frizzy haired nobody of a girl?"</p><p>"Well that's not exactly how I'd describe her." He responded as calmly as he could as his old girlfriend had just insulted his new one. "But yeah...I love her. In fact, I'm pretty sure she's it for me."</p><p>Heather swiftly closed her gaped mouth as she readjusted her stance. "Think about this rationally Charlie." She shook her head at him calmly. "How exactly do you think she is going to look standing next to you in all the interviews and press conferences that will be expected of you?"</p><p>"Press conferences?" Charlie's brows wrinkled in confusion. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"I heard that the national team had their eye on you." She explained. "Don't you have a tryout coming up in a few weeks?"</p><p>"Well, yeah. But that doesn't mean anything."</p><p>"Of course it means something!" She scoffed at him. "Once you win your spot on that team, which you will, there will be certain things expected of you. Publicity and an image to maintain. Things I'm sure Jean won't understand."</p><p>"Heather, Jean is one of the most intelligent witches I've ever met, and she can handle anything thrown at her." He defended her. "But even if she couldn't, it doesn't matter as there aren't going to be any interviews or an image to maintain anyway."</p><p>"What are you talking about?" It was her turn to ask, while she shook her head at him. It appeared that she was both confused and a little angry. "That seeker position is as good as yours if you are as good as I remember."</p><p>"What I mean, is that it doesn't matter how the tryout for England goes because I won't be playing for them." He finally put his foot down. "I'm going to Romania to work for the dragon reserve there. Or had you forgotten that was my real dream?"</p><p>"Don't be ridiculous." She scolded him, as if she had any way in what he did. "You can't seriously be considering rejecting a chance to play quidditch professionally?"</p><p>"That's actually exactly what I'm doing." He held his ground.</p><p>Heather surprised him once again as she slid one hand against his face, and leaned in closer. "Charlie, I know you...And I know that if you give up this opportunity, you will regret it for the rest of your life."</p><p>A weaker man might have caved, but Charlie was far from weak and he was also well aware of Heather St. Claire's tricks.</p><p>"No, that's you." He replied firmly as he pushed her back away from him gently. "You left Reg because his parents didn't set you up as well in the prenup as you expected, so you thought you could come running back to someone who wouldn't know any better. Someone who didn't grow up with money and just might be about to come into some." Charlie was more than annoyed at this point. "Well guess what? There won't be any coming to or from me regardless."</p><p>"You are way out of line!" She spoke angrily as she glared daggers at him. "I would never-"</p><p>"You know what Heather, I'm not really interested in arguing about what your real reasons for being here are." He interrupted her. "All I wanted was to spend a nice day with my girlfriend before going home for Christmas tomorrow, and you had to sweep in and ruin it. I've been done with you for a long time. So as you so kindly put it to poor Reg Swepper, 'I don't have to put up with this shit!' I am not one of those other, so called 'options', you talked about; but if you still have any others I kindly suggest you go bother one of them."</p><p>Charlie set his drink down on the nearest table with a little more force than necessary, and turned on his heel. Heather was left flabbergasted by his outburst and seemed to be almost frozen in place. Without another word, he grabbed Hermione by the elbow on his way past her, and jerked her toward the exit.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxx</p><p>Hermione didn't argue as he pulled her along. By the path he had taken, she was pretty sure he was steering them toward the Shrieking Shack, but she wasn't positive. Knowing him, he could just be looking for somewhere secluded so they could be alone. She hadn't heard much of what he and Heather had been arguing about, but from the glances she had taken of them, she was sure it had been heated. As much as she was dying to know what had happened, she knew better than to ask him whilst he was still fuming.</p><p>And he was still fuming.</p><p>It was another few minutes of stomping through the frosty village backroads before Charlie finally stopped. They had just passed the Shrieking Shack and entered the shallow wooded area of the opposing hill when he dropped his hold on her hand.</p><p>He cupped his hands over his face and groaned loudly into them. His skin was pale from the biting cold, as they'd left the inn so abruptly neither one of them had had time to put their gloves on.</p><p>Hermione approached him slowly, not wanting to spook him; her boots crunching against the icy grass beneath her feet. She gripped his wrists with her hands in a silent request for him to look at her.</p><p>"Are you alright?" She asked, when he made no move to drop his hands from covering his face.</p><p>When he took a deep breath and shook his head, her heart plummeted into her stomach. He was worrying her, and it was causing a bubble of self doubt to grow in her chest. What if he was about to break things off?</p><p>"I'm sorry." She muttered before she could stop herself, and dropped her arms. "I knew being with you was going to mess up your life."</p><p>Charlie then jerked his hands from his face abruptly at her statement. He looked almost as angry, and definitely as shocked at as he'd just been with Heather.</p><p>"Mess up my life?" He asked, unsure that he'd heard her correctly.</p><p>"I'm changing things for you." She explained gloomily as she stared down at her feet. "Causing you to do and say things you wouldn't have done in the original timeline."</p><p>Charlie's jaw ticked as he tried to temper his anger. "Hermione, how much of what just happened did you actually hear?"</p><p>"Not much. Just that you were being ridiculous at one point, and out of line at another." She dragged the toe of her right boot in a pattern on the ground, as a single tear slipped down her cheek. "But her body language said more than words ever could. She wanted you back, and you only told her no because of me."</p><p>Hermione finally tilted her head up to look at him, and the sadness he saw on her face made his bad mood soften.</p><p>"I hate to break it to you, but you have finally read something completely wrong." He semi scolded her as he closed the gap between them. He wrapped one arm around her back and cradled her face with his free hand. "You being here or not, had no impact on me telling that fame and fortune seeking whore that I want nothing to do with her."</p><p>Hermione's face paled as what he said only half sunk in. "Fame and fortune seeking?"</p><p>"That's right." He nodded. "Heather is, and always has been, on the hunt for a husband who could give her an extravagant life. She dated Reginald Swepper her fifth year, whom she broke up with because he graduated. She then dated another seventh year named Tate Bobbins, whose family owns a chain of successful Apothecaries, in her sixth year."</p><p>"Oh!" She reacted as the rest of the puzzle clicked into place.</p><p>"Bill tried to warn me when she set her sights on me two years ago, but I wouldn't listen." He continued his rant. "She was pretty, experienced, and most of the guys in school wanted her; so of course I brushed it off. I thought she might just actually like me, for me, since I didn't have money and at the time didn't realize I actually had a chance at playing professional quidditch." He sighed again as he tried to remember the events accurately. "I was pretty crushed when she broke things off. Especially when not a month later she was back with Reg. That's when I knew Bill had been right."</p><p>"So you wouldn't have wanted to give her another chance?" Hermione asked, needing the clarification. "Not even if you'd never met me."</p><p>"No." He responded firmly. "Fuck no. I refuse to be used like that."</p><p>"I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions then." She grimaced. "I guess I just keep expecting something to come up and cause you to change your mind about me."</p><p>"You aren't the only one who has doubts about themselves, you know?" Charlie shrugged.</p><p>"I find that hard to believe." She said solemnly.</p><p>"Here you are worried about me wanting to be with other people, but what do you think is going through my mind half the time?" He asked, trying to make her understand how he felt. "I mean, I'm planning on waiting eight years for you to come back to me; all the while wondering if when you do, you'll change your mind and want to be with Ron after all."</p><p>"What?" She stammered in shock. "You….you plan on waiting for me?"</p><p>"Of course I am, you silly witch." He scolded her before planting a kiss firmly on her lips. "I love you!"</p><p>"I...I know." She answered, still in shock. "But I guess I didn't realize just how much."</p><p>A grin finally appeared on his face, making him look much more like the Charlie she had come to know over the past few months.</p><p>"Well I guess I better show you then, hadn't I?" He said before reattaching their lips.</p><p>He then spent the rest of their afternoon kissing her for all she was worth between whispered confessions of everything he loved about her.</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Goodnight Jean." Charlie whispered as he pressed another tantalizing kiss to her lips.</p><p>It was late at night now, and the Hogwarts Express was leaving early in the morning to take the students home for Christmas Break. Neither of them had seemed hungry after the events that had taken place in Hogsmeade that afternoon, and the pair had skipped dinner in favor of curling up next to the fire in the common room. They wanted to spend their last few hours until he left together.</p><p>"Will you be up to send me off in the morning?" He asked. "Since I'm a prefect I'll need to leave a little earlier than everyone else."</p><p>"Of course." She agreed, still not moving to break out of his embrace.</p><p>Hermione was dreading going to bed. Once the morning came she knew she would feel empty and cold inside. The amount that she already missed him when he hadn't even left yet made her feel weak in the knees.</p><p>She kissed him again; unhurriedly as they stood at the base of the stairs that led to the girls dorms.</p><p>"You know you don't actually have to worry about me wanting to be with Ron, right?" She asked in an attempt to set his mind at ease, just as he had done for her that afternoon.</p><p>"Like you, there are times that I do believe that." He sighed. "But then other times, I think about everything the two of you have been through together the past seven years of your life. It makes me worry that the little time we've spent together might not be enough once you see him again. Sometimes I worry that you'll regret being with me once you are back in your own time."</p><p>"Charlie, that is not going to happen." She attempted to comfort him; cradling one of his cheeks in her hand. "I love you, and that ship has sailed as far as I'm concerned."</p><p>The corners of his lips twitched upwards slightly. "You're sure?"</p><p>"Yes!" She answered overzealously. "Are you sure that you want to wait for me when you won't be able to see or talk to me the entire time?"</p><p>"Yes, I'm sure." He smiled solemnly.</p><p>"Eight years is a long time." She continued to press him.</p><p>"Hermione." He scolded her goodnaturedly. "No one else could ever mean half as much to me, as you do."</p><p>She conceded; attempting not to grin at his declaration. "Fine."</p><p>"Besides…" He added; suddenly grinning wickedly at her. "I'll be having so much fun with all of those dragons, I might not even notice you're gone."</p><p>She smacked him as he pulled her in for a final round of snogging for the night.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>Toss. Turn. Rollover. Flip the pillow. Repeat.</p><p>Hermione sighed as she stared at the ceiling. It was nearing two in the morning and she hadn't slept a wink yet.</p><p>She'd started off thinking about her upcoming trip to the island of snakes, and the possibility of not making it out alive. Sure she'd mastered the protection orb Dumbledore had taught her, but going into unknown territory alone still frightened her. What if she got bit regardless of her precautions, and as a result never made it back to help Harry and Ron?</p><p>Her thoughts had then turned to Charlie. How would he feel if he came back from his trip home to discover that she never made it back herself? How would she feel if she was swarmed by a mass of vipers; dying whilst knowing she'd never get to see his warm smiling face again.</p><p>She loved him; had known so for several weeks now, but hadn't realized how deep it ran until he claimed he'd wait for her. The raw and consuming need to be with him was causing her to dread his three week absence; and if he truly felt the same, she couldn't imagine how hard the eight years apart would end up being for him. He had been right when he said they didn't have a lot of time left before her inevitable departure to the future.</p><p>Thinking about their little time left then led her to the memory of the night they met. The night she'd tried to avoid and ignore him while he had been nothing but friendly. She remembered their arguments, and then how she finally confided her secret to him; which finally led them to falling for each other. She smiled as she flashed back through every kiss, every laugh, and every touch.</p><p>What they had done in his bed last week plagued her thoughts next. She continued to toss and turn, only this time it was because her skin had started to feel a bit too warm. How amazing his fingers had felt made her wonder what the rest of him would feel like too. She desperately wanted it to happen again, only she knew it wouldn't be enough this time. The erotic way he had whispered how good it would feel when he was inside her for real, had her wanting to seek him out to find out right that second.</p><p>Would it hurt horribly? Or would it be one of those pain that came along with the pleasure type of things she'd heard other girls talk about.</p><p>Tired of staring at the ceiling, and awaiting the sleep she knew would never come, Hermione finally crawled out of bed. If her mind was telling her she was ready and tonight might be her only chance, she was sure as hell going to take it.</p><p>After quietly rummaging through her beaded bag, she grabbed the vial of blue liquid Sarah had given her earlier that afternoon and uncorked it. "Here goes nothing." She whispered to herself before downing the entire contents in one swig.</p><p>Before she could lose her nerve and crawl back in for a restless night, she pulled the curtains on her four poster bed closed so that the other girls wouldn't notice her absence, and headed into the bathroom.</p><p>Hermione gently patted her cheeks with her fingertips as she looked herself over in the mirror. "Okay, you can do this." She whispered as a pep talk to herself.</p><p>Her hair was a bit frizzy from being outside most of the day, and then tossing and turning for two hours straight; so she quickly wet it down and used a charm to dry it in an attempt to tame the bushiness. If she was actually going to go wake Charlie up for a bit of nighttime naughtiness, she was going to at least put in a little effort to look pretty; not just for him, but for herself as well. If this was going to be her first time, she wanted to remember feeling sexy as she surprised him in nothing but her underthings.</p><p>Which speaking of underthings, she ripped her nightgown off over her head and studied the ones she had worn to bed that night. A two year old pair of purple cotton knickers that she'd had to either scourgify or wash in a river whilst on the run, and a grey sports bra.</p><p>"Uggck." She muttered, knowing those wouldn't do.</p><p>Using her new wand once more, she transfigured the two pieces into a matching set of a pale pink satin plunge bra, and bikini style panties with lace trim. The light shade complimented her skin tone, and the fit boosted her confidence almost instantly. If she had been worried about him rejecting her advances earlier, they were all but squashed now.</p><p>As an extra precaution, she checked the Marauders Map to make sure everyone in Gryffindor tower was in their beds for the night. Her pointer finger traced the name Charles Weasley; whose dot showed he was indeed in bed along with the rest of his roomates. Knowing it was now or never, she delicately draped Harry's invisibility cloak over her shoulders and exited the girls dorm.</p><p>Hermione could hear her heart pounding in her chest with each step as she made her way down the spiral staircase to the common room. Her breath seemed even louder in her ears as she then took the other staircase all the way up to the seventh year boys dorm. As quiet as possible, she pushed the door open and tiptoed to the second bed on the left.</p><p>Another few waves of her wand had the drapes on his four poster silenced, with a few other privacy wards and a muffliato thrown in as well. If she was going to lose her virginity with five sleeping boys on the other side of some thin curtains, she was at least going to make sure they wouldn't be noticed or interrupted.</p><p>Still invisible, she climbed up into the bed; gently as not to wake Charlie up just yet. She had to make sure the drapes were properly sealed. As excited as she was about giving Charlie his late night surprise, she didn't want any of his roommates to glance in by accident if there were any gaps in the fabric.</p><p>Lowering only the hood of the old cloak so that her body would stay hidden, Hermione finally looked to her sleeping boyfriend. He was on his back; head resting against the pillow with one arm thrown over his eyes. His upper chest was bare; the blanket coming up just past his navel. He looked peaceful, and she almost reconsidered waking him; but she had already come this far and knew he wouldn't mind once he realized why she was there.</p><p>Placing one knee on each side of him, she straddled his waist and leaned over to whisper in his ear.</p><p>"Charlie." She said softly before placing a kiss to his lips.</p><p>His arm jerked away from his face as his eyes fluttered open. He seemed startled by the sudden appearance of her head and neck in his bed. She sat up straight; staring down at him as she rested her weight on his pelvis.</p><p>"Jean?" He asked, looking confused as he tried to blink the sleep away. "Hermione what are you-?"</p><p>His question died in his throat as she untied the invisibility cloak, and let it fall away. The sight he was left with had his eyes widening; he was definitely awake now. She blushed slightly as his eyes instinctively roamed over her body, stilling as they focused in on the tops of her breasts that were spilling over the edge of the cups.</p><p>"Our conversations today were keeping me awake." She explained as she felt him harden instantly beneath her backside. "You were right when you said we didn't have a lot of time left to be together."</p><p>"Mhm." He mumbled, as one of his hands pinched her hip to make sure she was really there.</p><p>She tapped a finger against his chin to try and get his attention again; his lust filled eyes shifted to meet hers. "I mean, not only am I going back to the battle in less than five months, but when we talked last week about how anyone of your loved ones could die the moment I get back, I realized I could be one of them. I could die on my dangerous journey in a few days, or I could get struck by a killing curse not five minutes after I get back to my own time."</p><p>"Hermione don't talk like that." He said, whilst trying to focus on her words and not her skimpy attire. His same hand slid up her back to stroke a pattern on her bare skin. "What are you trying to say?"</p><p>"I'm saying that if it's my time then so be it." She said confidently; her hand pressing down on his chest. "But I really don't want to go without knowing what it's like to be with you first."</p><p>Charlie groaned low in his throat at her admission; grinding his hips up against her out of reflex. It took him a second to gain control after the wake-up call he'd just received.</p><p>"You aren't going to die Hermione." He said as he tried to keep his breathing steady. "Because I'd never be able to handle it. Besides, if I know you like I think I do, you are too well prepared for anything to stop you from whatever it is you are doing."</p><p>"Anything can happen." She shrugged, causing one of the straps of her bra to fall off her shoulder.</p><p>His eyes zoned in on the falling fabric; his free hand coming up to push it further down and toward the crevice of her elbow. He wanted to lean forward and place a kiss to the freshly exposed flesh, but her hand was still pressing him down. The pressure her weight was putting on him was making his erection almost painful.</p><p>"If something goes wrong and you do die, I'll just have to kidnap you in eight years to stop you from coming to the past in the first place." He grinned. "Problem solved."</p><p>"Well that covers this excursion." She said as she raised herself up just enough so she could rub herself back down against him; causing him to jolt from the friction. "But even if I do make it out, there's still the big battle I barely escaped from."</p><p>"Then I will be there the second you get back." He groaned as she rocked against him. "And I will be there to watch your back and kill anyone who threatens your safety."</p><p>"Hmmm." She hummed with a smile; leaning down to kiss him seductively. "I guess I'm covered then."</p><p>He kissed back for a bit before pulling away again; his teeth dragging against her bottom lip in the process. As soon as his head was far back enough, his eyes traveled back to her breasts; The sight she made on top of him almost had him flipping her over and taking her right that second.</p><p>"Yeah... Covered." He swiped his tongue over his bottom lip. "Something I'd like you to be a bit less of."</p><p>Hermione smirked and grabbed his hand; placing it over the top of one of the cups of her bra instead. "Well there's nothing stopping you from making that happen."</p><p>Charlie growled deeply as he gave it a firm squeeze. He used his free hand to grab the wrist of the one she was using to hold him down, and sat up. His lips attacked her mouth as soon as she was in reach.</p><p>"Are you sure about this?" He asked as the hand on her breasts slid behind her back to play with the clasp holding her bra in place.</p><p>"Positive." She nodded as she wiggled in his lap.</p><p>He had it undone in a few seconds; tongue tracing her upper lip before dipping inside her luscious mouth. The garment was thrown to the foot of the bed as soon as it had come unclasped; his hand massaging her now bared breast skin on skin. One of his hands was cradling the side of her neck to keep their mouths connected while the other began to toy with a nipple; making it harden instantly.</p><p>Tongues touching. Hands exploring. Hermione mewled into his mouth as he pinched and rolled it between his fingers. She was already getting heated and felt a wetness pool into her panties. Her fingers began to trace the planes of his abs as they rocked and ground against each other.</p><p>After thoroughly studying every inch of her chest; Charlie began to lean her backward. His thighs came out from under hers as he pushed her back against the mattress; covering her body with his instead. His throbbing erection had enough of her grinding atop him while not allowing him the release he desperately needed.</p><p>Hermione bit her bottom lip seductively as she stared up at him. "Are you going to show me what all the fuss is about?"</p><p>He quickly nestled his hips between her thighs and pushed the tip of his still covered penis against her most intimate area through her panties.</p><p>"Over and over until neither of us can move." He replied sternly before dipping his head down to tug the other nipple between his teeth.</p><p>Her fingers threaded themselves through the hair at the base of his neck as he sucked and laved at her pebbled skin. She moaned with her head thrown back, not believing how hot and wet this was making her. Why she hadn't let him do this before now was beyond her as she gave into the new world of pleasure he was showing her.</p><p>One of Charlie's arms braced against the bed to hold himself up, leaving his other hand free to travel down her sides. It glided down her firm stomach, past her slightly rounded hips, and dipped below the waistband of her panties. He hummed in approval against the rosy peak he was still attending to. She was so wet that his fingers were able to glide around with ease.</p><p>Not wanting to be left out of the exploration, Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed his pajama pants down with her ankles. One arm was wrapped around his neck and shoulders while the other hand made its way to his stiffened member. As she gripped it through his boxers, he bit down on her nipple a little harder than he'd intended to stop himself from losing control.</p><p>Hermione didn't seem to mind, because the action only caused her to moan again as she continued to feel him up. Before long she had his boxers pushed down as well, and he had to rest the full weight of his lower body against her so he could get enough leverage to kick them off.</p><p>Now that he was completely nude, her fingers wrapped themselves around the base of his penis and made a smoothing motion upwards. The tips of her fingers and thumb couldn't quite touch each other as she tested out a pumping method, but she hadn't had enough experience yet to know if that was a good thing or not.</p><p>"Hermione." He whispered shakily; just loud enough to draw her attention back to his eyes. "I'm going to ask you one more time, because there is no going back after this... Are you sure?"</p><p>"Yes." She whispered through heavy breathing; nodding whilst continuing to experiment with a rhythm. "Am...am I doing this right?"</p><p>"Yes, love." He grinned at her; removing his hand from inside her panties so he could pull her hand off of his penis. "Maybe a little too well even. If you keep doing that, I might not even make it to the showing you what all the fuss is about part."</p><p>"Oh." She said bashfully; her cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink.</p><p>Charlie sat up with a knee on each side of her; his erection standing proudly as he placed one of her hands beside her head. He took the other and sat it palm down atop the edge of the previously cast aside blanket; signaling that she should grip it if things got too intense for her. Once he had her positioned where he wanted her, he slowly hooked the sides of her panties under the crooks of his fingers and slid them slowly down her legs.</p><p>Now that the last article of clothing had been shed, he gripped his throbbing erection and positioned the tip against her soaked entrance. A deep breath escaped his lips as he attempted to calm himself. As much as he wanted to surge into her tight heat, he didn't want to hurt her or deter her from wanting to have sex with him again in the future.</p><p>"I love you." He reminded her as he leaned down to kiss her again.</p><p>With one slow push of his hips he entered her as softly as possible; the thin barrier breaking in the process. Hermione squeaked into the kiss, her fingers gripping the edge of the blanket until her hands turned white. He could feel her tense underneath him, but she did not cry or ask him to pull out as he expected.</p><p>"Are you alright?" He surprised himself by being able to speak as he reveled in the feel of her.</p><p>Charlie felt her nod into the crevice of his neck, but no sound escaped her lips.</p><p>"I'm going to move now." He informed her; staying still while her warmth was embracing him so tightly it was starting to send a cramp through his legs.</p><p>She nodded again; fully grasping the concept of what pleasurable pain was as he stretched her slick passage. As Charlie pulled out just enough to push back in, the pain began to dull; being replaced by pure pleasure.</p><p>"You feel good." He gasped incoherently as he began to thrust in and out of her. "So bloody good."</p><p>Charlie continued to move; encouraging her to find her own rhythm and move with him. She began to rock; slowly at first as he continued to dive deeper and deeper with every thrust.</p><p>"Fucking knew you would too." He continued to mutter dirty things into her ear as he picked up the pace.</p><p>Hermione whimpered; unable to form actual words. Now that the pain had receded she realized how incredible it felt. It was no wonder girls like Ginny and Sarah had gone on and on about their experiences.</p><p>The hand by her head instinctively went to cradle the back of his neck; fingernails pressing into his skin a she crashed their lips back together. Though it was freezing outside, there was no shortage of heat in the canopy of his bed. The pair continued to rock and writhe against each other; a light sheen of sweat coating their bodies as they moved in motion.</p><p>Before long they could both feel the coil of their lovemaking begin to tighten; pushing them both towards their climaxes. Hermione could feel it in the distance; only knowing what it was based off their last encounter in his bed only one week ago. She moaned a little louder as his hand slid between their bodies to rub his thumb against her sensitive clit.</p><p>"I'm going to come Hermione." He breathed heavily as he rubbed at her harder. "But I need you to come with me. Need to hear you scream. Need to feel you clench around me."</p><p>The combination of his words and his frenzied movements caused her to do just that. She screamed into his neck as she clenched and spasmed around his cock. Her legs wrapped around his waist and held him in a vise grip just as he emptied inside of her; his face pressing into the mass of curls against the side of her head.</p><p>After several seconds of gasping for air and clinging to one another, Charlie finally pressed a kiss to her cheek bone before rolling onto his back beside her. They both continued to breathe heavily in an attempt to calm themselves after their intense coupling.</p><p>"Feel free to wake me up like that anytime." He panted with a grin.</p><p>Hermione chuckled as she finally felt the rise and fall of her chest steady. "Noted."</p><p>"What a send off." He continued to revel in the afterglow.</p><p>"Also noted." She laughed; feeling much more comfortable laying naked in bed with him than she ever expected.</p><p>Charlie rolled onto his side to face her; grinning not unlike he had after fingering her last week. "I love you."</p><p>She snorted and leaned forward just enough to kiss him. "I love you too Charlie."</p><p>He slid the nearest arm under her neck as he closed the distance between them so he could deepen the kiss.</p><p>"So…" He pulled back just enough so he could look her in the eye. "Was it okay for you? Did I show you what all the fuss was about well enough, or do you need another go?"</p><p>Hermione laughed nervously as her cheeks turned pink again. "It was…" She paused as she tried to put the right words to it. "So much better, and so much more intense than I ever imagined it would be."</p><p>"Really?" He asked; seemingly excited by her response.</p><p>"Yeah, I think it is because I waited for the right person though." She admitted. "I can't picture it being that good with anyone else."</p><p>"I'm glad." He whispered as he kissed her again.</p><p>Hermione rolled to cuddle into his side; now that they had calmed down she was starting to feel a chill from the air hitting her naked body. Feeling her shiver against him, Charlie reached for the nearest thing to cover her with; intending to grab his quilt. Instead, he paused at the unique feel of the silvery material he grabbed by accident. The item he thought he had imagined earlier.</p><p>Sitting up and grabbing the ancient cloak from him before he could study it; Hermione set it as far behind her as possible before pulling his actual blanket over them.</p><p>"What the hell is that thing?" He asked once she settled back against him.</p><p>"Oh, um." She bit her lip uncomfortably; knowing it was against the rules to tell him, but the promise of not lying to him anymore overriding them. "Well…. do you remember the story of the three brothers?"</p><p>"Yeah." He sighed; knowing it was going to be another one of her weird and drawn out explanations.</p><p>"It's, um." She laughed nervously. "It's the cloak from the story. Death's cloak of invisibility."</p><p>Charlie sat up and mimicked her uncomfortable laugh as he looked at her. "Are you shitting me?"</p><p>Hermione glared at him before rolling over to grab the cloak again. "No." She scoffed at him.</p><p>"So you mean to tell me that the story is real, and all the items from it actually exist?"</p><p>Hermione nodded and handed it to him so he could actually look it over. His arm disappeared to his shoulder as he draped the fabric over it to test it out.</p><p>"How did you get it?" He asked, acting both excited and curious over the knowledge of its existence.</p><p>"It's Harry's. James Potter left it in Dumbledore's possession before he died." She explained. "It's been passed down generation to generation for centuries, which is how I know it's the cloak from the story and not just a random one you can purchase. Last Christmas Harry and I went to visit his parents' graves in Godric's Hollow, and based on a tombstone we found I'm almost positive that the last brother was a man named Ignotus Peverell."</p><p>Charlie draped the cloak around his shoulders next; with only his head and the middle of his chest visible now. "Your past just keeps getting stranger and stranger."</p><p>"Whether death actually exists, or whether the three brothers were just really talented at creating magical objects, I don't know." She continued as she watched him play with the material. "But since it won't be passed to Harry for another two years, I'm pretty sure the past version of it is down in Dumbledore's office right now."</p><p>Charlie finally looked back at her; setting the cloak to the side again. "To be honest I feel a lot better about leaving you alone to do your task while I'm gone knowing you have this."</p><p>"True." She forced a smile a nodded. She wasn't sure how much protection an invisibility cloak would be if she was caught in close quarters with a mass of poisonous snakes, but she didn't want to reveal the situation she was going into or cause him to worry more than he already was, so she stayed silent.</p><p>"So I should probably drop the subject of your upcoming journey until I get back." He said, seeing her discomfort. "So I guess I will ask a different question about protection to change the subject. Did you cast a charm on yourself before you snuck in to see me tonight?"</p><p>Hermione fidgeted around so that she could lay her head against his pillow. "No, actually."</p><p>Charlie's eyes widened and she snorted at how uncomfortable and speechless he looked.</p><p>"But I did take a potion." She laughed as he collapsed beside her out of relief. "I was told it would last an entire month."</p><p>"A month huh?" He asked; shooting her a smirk. "Too bad I'm going to be gone for almost three weeks of that."</p><p>"Yeah, well at least it will still be in effect when you do get back." She reminded him.</p><p>"True." He grinned childishly as he rolled over; covering her body with his again. "But why wait that long when we can do it again right now?"</p><p>Hermione did eventually get some sleep that night, but not until well after they both were drenched in sweat and out of breath again.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>Hermione awoke early the next morning to a series of kisses being pressed to her temple and cheek.</p><p>"Charlie?" She groaned sleepily.</p><p>"Hey, love." He whispered into the dimly lit space. "Go back to sleep. I just wanted to kiss you goodbye before I headed down to the train."</p><p>She leaned up to wrap her arms around his neck, just barely noticing that he had pulled the curtains closed around them so they wouldn't be seen. She shivered realizing she was still naked from the night before; flashbacks of their lovemaking coming to the forefront of her mind.</p><p>"I'm glad you did." She said as she placed a kiss to his lips. "Happy Christmas Charlie. I'm going to miss you so much."</p><p>"Me too." He said as he tucked her back into the warmth of the blankets. "Stay safe."</p><p>"I will." She promised as a yawn overtook her words. "I love you."</p><p>"I love you too Hermione." He placed a final kiss to her forehead. "I meant what I said though." He whispered just before sleep claimed her once more. "If you die while I'm gone, you'd better believe I'm kidnapping you at Bill's wedding. I don't care if you remember me or not, I will lock you in my room in Romania until after the war is over."</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leaving her that morning had been difficult. Especially when all he really wanted to do was crawl back into bed behind her and sleep the day away with her curled up beside him. As he left the castle he smiled to himself, remembering the way she had woken him up in the middle of the night. It had been quite the surprise; one he was glad he had the memory of to relive while they were separated.</p><p>Both Bill and his father were supposed to meet him and his brothers on Platform 9 ¾ before apparating home. He had passed his apparition test the second time, late last summer; so the plan was for each of them to side along the twins and Percy back to the burrow. He honestly didn't know how his parents were going to manage once they had five underage children that needed to be dropped off or picked up at the same time.</p><p>The Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross late that afternoon. Charlie'd had a stupid grin on his face the entire journey; his mental reminiscing giving away the previous nights events to Devon, who had sat across from him in their compartment. They had been friends for so long that they could usually read each other just by their facial expressions. Charlie hadn't verbally admitted the details, but did scold his friend to shut up after he'd asked if it had really been that good.</p><p>The pair bid each other farewell as they exited the train, and Charlie headed toward the platform in search of his family. He'd found Fred and George pointing nefariously at something under the train and had wrangled them in headlocks under his arms so he could steer them toward the platform. Percy was already waiting there with his dad and Bill; giving them an impatient glare as they finally approached.</p><p>Luckily, since it was only a three week visit for Christmas they hadn't needed to bring their large trunks. They each carried a backpack containing only the necessities; making it much easier to get them to their destination unsplinched.</p><p>With three loud pops, the six of them landed in the front yard of The Burrow; a shallow blanket of snow causing the grass to crunch beneath their feet. While Fred and George took off at a run to get inside, Charlie took a moment to enjoy the chilliness of the outdoors before following the rest of his family into the warmth of the family home.</p><p>The scent of freshly baked bread and christmas cookies invaded his nostrils seconds after he made it past the threshold. At first it brought a smile to his face; it smelled like a traditional Weasley family Christmas, but the thought of baked goods soon began to remind him of the girl he'd left in his bed that very morning. He hoped she'd be okay while he was gone.</p><p>"Charlie!"</p><p>Charlie turned just in time to catch the flash of red that was jumping at him from the bottom step of the rickety staircase. His eight year old sister had bounded down the stairs so fast he'd barely noticed the racket until she was already launching herself at him.</p><p>He laughed as he caught Ginny midair and began to spin her around in circles. "Hey kiddo! Miss me much?"</p><p>She nodded vigorously as she smiled at her favorite brother. "Sooo Much. Why couldn't I have gone to Hogwarts with you?" She suddenly pouted. "You'll be long gone by the time I get there."</p><p>"Just the way it turned out I'm afraid." He said as he sat her down and patted the top of her head. "But I am home for over two whole weeks; so we better make the best of it, hadn't we?"</p><p>She nodded again with a happy face as she tugged on his hand in a silent gesture for him to follow her into the kitchen.</p><p>The shriek of his mother filled the room as the door swung closed behind him. She wrapped him into a warm hug, a wooden spoon still clutched in one hand as she left the stove abruptly to throw her arms around him.</p><p>"The rest of my boys are home!" She smiled as she patted his cheek. "And your father and I are so proud of you."</p><p>"Thanks mum." He grinned and kissed her cheek. He knew she must be referencing his upcoming tryout.</p><p>"Dinner will be ready soon." She said as she turned back to the stove. "Why don't you join Ron at the table while I finish up. That boy has been waiting weeks to talk to you about Quidditch."</p><p>Charlie felt a pang in his chest at the mention of his youngest brother. The brother who had no idea that he was currently betraying him with a girl he had yet to meet. He needed to make sure he kept up a good relationship with him once he moved to Romania. Who knew if it would ever recover once he found out about his and Hermione's relationship.</p><p>"Hey Charlie." Ron grinned at him as he approached the table; unaware of his traitorous thoughts. "Are you nervous for your tryout next month?"</p><p>Charlie took the seat across from him so they could converse easier. "A bit. Mostly excited though. How have things been here?"</p><p>"Boring." Ron replied as he stuffed an entire christmas cookie into his mouth. "Got bit by a gnome yesterday though. Mum makes me toss those bloody things over the hedge at least once a month still."</p><p>Charlie chuckled as he saw the bandage around his brother's hand. "Poor things are going to get a concussion one of these days."</p><p>"I get bit and you call them poor things?" Ron looked slightly offended, but laughed it off. "I see how you are."</p><p>"If Fred or George wanted to throw you over the hedge don't you think you'd bite their fingers to try and stop them from succeeding?"</p><p>"That's a fair point." Ron nodded after thinking about it for a moment. "So what team are you hoping to be recruited to after nationals?"</p><p>Charlie grinned, and lied in an attempt to bond better with the nine year old. "The Chudley Cannons of course."</p><p>The two brothers talked for a while longer; discussing his win against Slytherin in detail up until dinner was served. And as the food was passed around the table Charlie really took the time to look at his youngest brother. Before now he'd just seen him as a kid. A brother he cared for; someone who's favorite things he knew, and someone he teased; But until now had never really thought about as someone who would become a man.</p><p>Ron didn't know that in less than two years he would meet his two best friends. He, along with he boy who lived and the girl who had recently taken over his life, were about to make a bond a friendship that would send them on a path to be soldiers too young for war. A path that would cause Hermione to end up in this time to begin with. She would take his place at the table he currently sat at, while he would stay busy on the Romanian Dragon reserve. The three of them would be off saving the world time and time again.</p><p>As he sat there, hiding the things he knew that would soon come to pass, he couldn't help but wonder if this is how Hermione felt every day.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>It was nearing midnight. Everyone else had gone to bed while Charlie and Bill had taken up spots in front of the living room fireplace; sharing a decanter of mead that Bill had brought back from Egypt. The pair had always been close and were taking the opportunity to catch up. As much as Charlie missed Hermione, now that he was here he realized how right she had been. He really did need this time with his family; whether a war was coming or not it was going to be harder and harder to get everyone together after this.</p><p>Their conversation had started out light; with Bill sharing details of his recent adventures in curse breaking. Eventually the two of them became a bit tipsy and the chatter turned to one of Bill's latest lady conquests and how he had talked her into bed with him. Charlie chuckled as his brother told him about how he'd broken the witch's bed midway, and had been promptly kicked out in only his underwear. He had laughed so hard at that last part he almost fell out of his chair.</p><p>"Okay little brother." Bill said once they had calmed down a little. "It's your turn... spill."</p><p>Charlie shook his head and took a long sip from his mug. "Spill what?"</p><p>"I know that look you've had all day." Bill claimed with a smirk. "You got laid yourself last night. Who is she?"</p><p>He groaned and tilted his head back; like with Devon, Bill could read his facial expresses all too well. Only this time it was definitely against the rules to spill his relationship to someone outside of Hogwarts. "I don't know what you're talking about."</p><p>"Your evasiveness is worrying me." Bill raised an eyebrow at him. "It wouldn't be someone I'd disapprove of would it?"</p><p>Charlie's face paled slightly as he worried Bill knew about Hermione, but then realized that would be preposterous. She wouldn't enter their family's lives for at least another few years.</p><p>"Oh shit, it is!" Bill cursed. "Really Charlie? Her again?"</p><p>Charlies scrunched his eyes in confusion at his brother's outburst. "Who again?" He asked, since both his wit and brain power had been slowed due to his recent intake of alcohol.</p><p>"Merlin's mustache Charlie, I thought you knew better this time. I know I live in Egypt now, but I still get thrown a witch weekly here and there. I know Heather broke off her engagement."</p><p>"Oh, no it's no-" Charlie tried to defend himself now that he knew where Bill's mind had gone.</p><p>"I mean do you not see that the only reason she is back in your life is because she heard about your upcoming tryout and wants-"</p><p>"Bill!" Charlie interrupted him; only continuing when Bill stopped his rant. "Although she did pay me a visit in Hogsmeade yesterday, It's not Heather that I've been seeing. Quite frankly I told Heather to piss off because I've not only learned my lesson, but I've been getting rather serious with someone new. Someone you don't know yet."</p><p>"Oh." Bill said, now realizing he didn't have to worry about his brother falling for the tricks of his old classmate. "Well okay then. Who is it?"</p><p>"A girl who transferred in this year." He repeated her cover story. "You wouldn't know her."</p><p>Bill raised one eyebrow at him again. "That sounds odd. And does this transfer student have a name?"</p><p>"Yeah." Charlie held back a cringe, as he omitted her real first name. "Her name's Jean."</p><p>"Well that sounds disappointingly un-exotic." Bill commented as he took another swig from his mug.</p><p>Charlie smirked as he attempted to outdrink his older brother. "Trust me, there was nothing disappointing about last night."</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>Christmas morning had passed by in a blur. From the twins he had received a bag of Zonkos products; how they had managed to get some when they weren't allowed to go to hogsmeade yet, he wasn't sure. He also had no intention of asking, as he knew he didn't want to get involved.</p><p>From his parents he had received a high end broom care kit and a new pair of athletic gloves. He knew without a doubt they had splurged so he could make the best possible impression at his upcoming tryout. A lump formed in his throat as he realized that their splurge would end up being for nothing when he turned the team down.</p><p>It wasn't until his mother left to start breakfast that he mustered up enough courage to approach his father with two icy mugs of eggnog in hand. He took a deep breath as he sat in the armchair next to his father's and extended the second glass to him. Hermione may have told him snippets of his future, but it was time for him to start working toward making those dreams a reality.</p><p>"Mr. Diggory is still the head of the Department of Magical Creatures isn't he?" He asked before he lost his nerve.</p><p>Arthur Weasley looked up from his newspaper and tilted his reading glasses down so he could focus on his son. He could sense that something was on Charlie's mind and that this was about to be a serious conversation.</p><p>"He is." Mr. Weasley confirmed as he accepted the frothy beverage. "With no signs of retiring anytime soon I'd wager."</p><p>Charlie took a long, slow drink of his eggnog as he thought about the best way to approach the subject he wanted to bring up.</p><p>Knowing that his son was struggling internally, Arthur helped the conversation along. "Why do you ask?"</p><p>Charlie sighed before clicking his tongue against his teeth. "I was hoping I could run to the ministry with you one morning before I have to go back to Hogwarts to pay him a visit."</p><p>"You don't have to beat around the bush with me son." He informed him calmly. "It's not like you to not be direct, and I have rarely ever seen you fret over anything. What is it that has you so tense?"</p><p>Charlie relaxed slightly a he realized how stiff he had become; resting his head against the back of the chair. "It's this whole quidditch tryout." He explained. "I never thought I'd really get the chance to play professionally, but now that it's right at my fingertips it's making me think about my other dreams."</p><p>"Dreams that have to do with magical creatures I'd bet." Arthur asked rhetorically.</p><p>"Yeah." Charlie nodded. "The Romanian dragon reserve to be precise."</p><p>Arthur sighed and removed his glasses, cleaning the lenses with the fabric of his robes before replacing them back atop his nose. "Your mother is not going to like this."</p><p>"Tell me about it." Charlie snorted uncomfortably. "It's not like I've decided against quidditch." He lied. "It's just that I would like to weigh my options while I still have the chance."</p><p>"It's understandable." His father nodded reassuringly. "You've talked of little else but dragons and broomsticks since you were five. It's only natural that your two most intense interests would eventually force you to choose a favorite."</p><p>"Yeah, well, if I want a shot at becoming a dragonologist I will need two letters of recommendation." Charlie finally explained his need for getting in touch with Amos Diggory. "Professor Kettleburn will be no problem, and although I'm sure Hagrid would be happy to write the second one, I just figured that the head of the major magical creatures department would look better."</p><p>"If that's what you want, I will come up with an excuse to get you in to see him." Arthur promised. There was absolutely nothing he wouldn't do for his family.</p><p>"Thanks, dad." Charlie smiled in relief. The conversation had gone better than expected. "Do you think we could keep this just between the two of us for now though?" He asked, as another thought dawned on him. "I don't want to freak mum out unnecessarily until I hear back one way or the other. Especially after the extremely thoughtful gift the two of you got me."</p><p>Sensing another thing his son might be worried about, Arthur nodded. He didn't like to keep secrets from his wife, but this one seemed necessary. "If you think it's best; though your mother would never be disappointed in you for following your dreams Charlie." He informed him in an attempt to bring his spirits up again. "All she truly wants is for you to be happy."</p><p>"I know." Charlie nodded. "I'd just rather know my decision for sure before springing this on her. You know how uncomfortable she is with me playing quidditch. She knows the dangers that come with playing professionally. Now can you imagine how much she is going to flip out if I tell her I've chosen an even more dangerous career path? One that involves taming dragons half way across Europe?"</p><p>Arthur's face paled slightly at the thought. "You're right. We tell her only if, and when, you choose fire breathing dragons over golden snitches."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione felt as if she were walking to the gallows as she exited the castle; making her way down to the Black Lake. The hollow feeling in her chest tightened with each step she took.</p><p>Though she had lived for months while on the run with Harry and Ron knowing that each day could be her last, there was something especially foreboding about this particular day. The feeling in the pit of her stomach was reminiscent of the mornings when they had broken into the Ministry of Magic, or Gringotts. It was not a feeling she had missed.</p><p>It appeared that Dumbledore was already there; his beard and deep purple robes making him easy to spot among the trees. There was a small black row-boat nearby, already in the water waiting for her. She assumed this was the reason he had owled for her to meet here instead of in his office. It would obviously be better for her to portkey from inside a boat so she could approach snake island from the water. The protection orb couldn't be cast until after the portkey had landed, so she would need a safe place to perform the spell before reaching the island itself. Dumbledore didn't want to risk the portkey dropping her off onto a giant pile of venomous snakes by sending her directly there.</p><p>"Ah, Miss Walters." He greeted her, as he checked his watch. "You are right on time."</p><p>"Yes." Hermione replied; too nervous for a formal greeting. "I see you already have everything set up." She said gesturing to the boat.</p><p>"Just finished." He confirmed as he fumbled with a robe pocket before brandishing a small black leather pouch from within. "I had Severus brew you some of the antivenin potion we talked about."</p><p>She took it delicately, but grit her teeth together at the mention of the man who would end up killing the one in front of her. She wasn't taking potions and had been able to avoid the greasy haired professor except for his presence at mealtimes. It was a sore topic that she had ignored; pressing it to the corners of her mind so she wouldn't be tempted to change the future fate of her headmaster.</p><p>Hermione also had to bite her tongue to stop herself from asking why he trusted Severus Snape. Her and her friends had been curious about his reasons ever since the discovery of Snape's death eater past, but had never been able to get the truth. If she was ever going to get that particular answer, she knew it would have to be while she was still in the past. She almost opened her mouth to ask anyway, but realized that today was not the right time; there were currently more pressing matters at hand.</p><p>"Each vial only works for a single bite." He continued, oblivious to her dark thoughts. "So if you end up going through them, you will need to use the return portkey swiftly."</p><p>"Of course. Thanks." She nodded as she pocketed them. "So I guess I'm ready to go then." She added; trying to push her current thoughts away.</p><p>"Yes, I cast the boat as the portkey there. Once you step into it you will have approximately ten seconds before it activates." He explained before dipping back into his pocket for something else. "But for convenience sake, I made this small token for your return. That way you won't have to travel back through the island to retrieve the boat. To be safe, I made it's destination the hospital wing."</p><p>He handed her a different bag; gold velvet this time. She tucked it into her cloak pocket along with the other so they would both be easily accessible if she ran into any problems. She had brought her trusty beaded bag, but it was shrunk and stowed away in her own pocket so she wouldn't have to carry it. She had dressed in her favorite jeans and jumper with a light traveling cloak that morning; knowing it was better not to be weighed down if she needed to run. She had no intention of dying on that island; determined to make it back so she could continue to spend the little time she had left in the past with Charlie.</p><p>"Unlike the boat, It will activate immediately after you touch it." He continued to explain. "So leave it covered until you are absolutely sure you are ready to come back. Unfortunately, you only get this one chance at whatever it is you need to do there."</p><p>"I understand." She nodded nervously; hoping that this trip would end up being worth the danger she was putting herself in. "Thank you."</p><p>Dumbledore stuck his arm closest to the boat out; gesturing for her to climb aboard. "After you then, if you are absolutely sure."</p><p>Hermione only nodded in response; unable to speak as a sudden spout of nausea began to creep up her throat. She forced the bile back down as she lifted the hem of her cloak to step aboard; the wood creaking under her weight as she did. The sound reminded her a little too much of muggle horror movies.</p><p>As she sat on the center thwart within the boat, her hands automatically grabbed the sides for stability; as portkey travel was not the most delicate form of transportation. She looked to her old headmaster one last time as she readied herself for the jerk behind her navel.</p><p>"Good luck Miss Granger." He bid her sincerely.</p><p>She did not have time to reply before the familiar and unpleasant sensation took over; sending her nine-thousand kilometres away.</p><p>xxxxxxxxx</p><p>When the spinning finally stopped, the sound of water sloshing against the side of the small boat brought her back to reality. She barely had time to throw her head over the side before she was hurling what little she had eaten that morning into the blue water below. Her fingers dug into the wooden frame as she heaved and gasped for breath.</p><p>Once her motion sickness had calmed, and breathing returned to normal, she wiped her mouth with the hem of her cloak and turned around shakily. In the not too far off distance stood Ilha da Queimada Grande, also known as Snake Island.</p><p>It was greener than she expected; rocky, but almost completely covered in moss and other foliage. It was taller too, and beautiful as well. Though she couldn't see any snakes from here, she knew in reality that it was crawling with them. She was sure the island wouldn't look quite this entrancing once she actually reached its shores.</p><p>In fact, Hermione was not looking forward to stepping out of the safety of the boat at all. It may have been freezing and winter back in Scotland, but here on the coast of Brazil it was hotter than most of the summers back in England. She definitely didn't want to risk exposure by prolonging the inevitable first step onto the beaches of what she imagined Parvati Patil's personal hell looked like.</p><p>Very carefully, as to not risk dropping it overboard, she brandished her wand from her inside cloak pocket. With a swirling motion upward, she cast the protection orb Dumbledore had taught her the week before. A bubble-like sphere appeared in front of her and began to encircle her slowly. It was a shimmering globe; like the bubble head charm but for her entire person. As it closed in around her, she felt a wave of comfort crash over her; allowing some of her fear to subside.</p><p>With her confidence restored, she tapped her wand against the wood railing; causing the boat to take off toward the shallow beach on the right side of the island. It was where she figured her best chances of docking would be. As she had discovered with a little research, the waters surrounding the island were almost as infested with snakes as the ground itself; leaving her no desire to place oars into the predatory water and row manually.</p><p>Faster than she would have liked, the boat approached the rocky reef. The water seemed to become clearer as she neared dry land, which unfortunately gave her a visible glance of what was swimming nearby. More specifically a glance of several snakes that seemed to dance below the surface of the sea.</p><p>Hermione cringed as a yellow one poked its head out of the water and hissed in her direction. She especially didn't want to leave the comfort of the boat now, as the golden lanceheads were supposedly the species responsible for ninety percent of Brazil's fatal snakebites. Knowing that they were there was starting to make her wish she had never taken this trip in the first place, even with her protection orb in place. However, there was information she needed here, and she would have to summon all of her Gryffindor courage and press on anyway if she was going to get it.</p><p>When the boat finally reached the shore, where the bottom hit the sand beneath the shallows, Hermione stood from her seat. From close up she could finally see why Salazar's daughter had fled so quickly. There really was a mass of snakes; hanging from trees, slithering on the ground, sunbathing on nearby rocks. She was sure the next time she came across a boggart it would no longer be McGonnagal giving her a failing grade.</p><p>As intimidating as the sight of unending venomous snakes was, Hermione also knew that it was better not to stay in one place too long. She had a job to do, and the quicker she was at completing it, the better off she would be. The first step on her agenda was to make sure the protection orb actually worked against them. If she was going to discover where Slytherin's hideout was she would have to be able to make it there without getting bit in the process.</p><p>Slowly, as to not spook any snakes in the nearby vicinity, Hermione stepped off the front of the boat; her protection orb still securely in place around her. With her wand raised, she took the few steps to the left, where the nearest sunbathing snake laid. The pit viper tensed and reared its head back; ready to strike as she approached. With her next step, she knew that either her protection spell would repel it's attack, or she'd have to use the first of her antivenin.</p><p>As it lunged forward with its teeth bared, Hermione's heart skipped a beat; almost expecting to feel it's fangs sink into her. Luckily, as quick as it thrust itself at her, it had been thrown away in the opposite direction; landing roughly in the distance. It hissed and coiled in a circle from the impact before slithering away into the nearby treeline.</p><p>Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as she realized once and for all that the orb would protect her, and she continued on her journey; following the deadly snake into the forest beyond.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxx</p><p>This island was hell. She could see why the Brazilian government had banned anyone from stepping foot here, for these were no ordinary snakes. They seemed more vicious and predatory than any other serpent she had ever crossed before.</p><p>As she had wandered up the rocky incline in search of Slytherin's hideout, her protective sphere had repelled no less than twenty snakes. On three different occasions one had tried to drop onto her from a nearby tree; instantly being thrown into the air as if they were nothing. However, their rather bold striking tactics were nothing in comparison to all the hissing. It seemed to grow louder the deeper she came inland, and she was looking forward to the peace and quiet she hoped to find once she reached the resting place of Salazar Slytherin.</p><p>Though it had only been a few hours since her arrival, Hermione was starting to worry she would have to leave here with nothing. She had expected a smaller island with few places to hide a livable dwelling, but she was honestly no closer to finding it now then she had been an hour ago. Not to mention her time was running out; it wasn't as if she could stay until she found it, as it would be impossible to camp here even with the protection orb.</p><p>Hermione should have known this wouldn't be so easy. Salazar had been smart enough to hide the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets after all; where no one had been able to find it for centuries. In fact if it wasn't for her research and hint of the word pipes to Harry second year, it may never have been discovered by anyone other than Tom Riddle at all.</p><p>After nearly two hours of trekking up the rocky incline, she finally decided to take a break. She quickly repelled any nearby snakes with her wand before sitting on a nearby log; removing the water bottle Charlie used for quidditch from one of her cloak's pockets. She had borrowed it from his trunk that morning; having easy access to it since she was the only Gryffindor to stay behind that Christmas.</p><p>She had missed him so much the first night he'd been away, that she had taken to sleeping in his bed ever since. His scent had lingered on the sheets, which had comforted her on the eve of her journey. Once she made it back, she had the intention of spending every night until his return there.</p><p>After enjoying a small snack of a muffin she'd taken from breakfast that morning, Hermione decided it was time to pack up; hoping to find the place before the hottest part of the day hit. Her bangs were starting to stick to her forehead, but she packed the bottle back into her cloak anyway before starting up the hill again.</p><p>Not even ten minutes later, she came to a clearing; where the trees thinned and the grass turned to gravel once more. There was a rocky ledge just up ahead, a spot that would likely have a better view of the rest of the island. Maybe from there she'd be able to spot something; or at least one of the windows Sylvia had mentioned looking out of in The Founders.</p><p>Taking the twenty or so steps between the clearing and the edge of the ravine, Hermione was finally able to get a good look at the layout of the stony landmass. She committed the view to her memory so she could call upon it later. Without even having to sweep her eyes the full length of the horizon, she was able to clearly see a specific landmark she had heard about in her research of the island.</p><p>An old story had talked about a family who once lived on this island in an old lighthouse. It was constructed in 1909, but abandoned in the 1920s after the lighthouse keeper and his family were killed by snakes that had slithered in through one of the windows. Once bitten, they tried to make it to their boat to get help from the mainland, but they never made it. There were no survivors.</p><p>The old white structure stared at her from the taller incline to her left; as if beckoning her to come explore it. She was sure it wasn't her destination, as the lighthouse hadn't been built until well after Salazar Slytherin had died, but for some unknown reason she couldn't stop her feet from moving in it's direction anyway. It was clear that she should continue on her search and forget about the stupid lighthouse, but now that the hissing in her ears had subsided her curiosity was peaked and carrying her toward it of it's own accord; leaving her rationality in the dust.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxx</p><p>With the help of an invigorating draught, she reached it in under twenty minutes. Even though she had passed through another thicket of trees, the sound of hissing had come almost completely to a halt. One more snake had attempted to bite her through the protective bubble, but there had been no incidents other than that.</p><p>Since the snakes seemed to be acting even stranger, Hermione decided to make a loop around the building to be safe before entering the single door on the east side of the building. When she was sure there was nothing in the area besides a few docile seeming snakes on a nearby tree, she forced the door open with her wand. It wasn't easy, as several decades worth of rust had accumulated on the hinges, but it finally gave way; allowing her entry into the old lighthouse. The sight she was met with, however, almost had her scrambling back out of it and running in the opposite direction.</p><p>All along the ground sat hundreds of dark brown snakes; covering almost every inch of the lighthouse floor. If she had thought she'd seen a lot of them before, it was nothing compared to the pool of serpents she had just stumbled quite literally upon.</p><p>The ones nearest to her coiled backwards into a striking pose, though she did not step any nearer toward them. It seemed every eye in the room was on her now, and she was not only thankful for the protection orb, but for the portkey in her pocket as well. Dumbledore had been smart in not making her return to the boat just to get back to Hogwarts safely; for if her charm were to fail that very second she knew she'd use it in a heartbeat. It was either that or face certain death.</p><p>Once she had recovered from the shock of finding so many snakes in one place, she decided to take a look around from her spot in the doorway. There was no point in trying to pass them if she didn't have to, so she would see what was discoverable from her current vantage point.</p><p>Across from her stood a staircase that led to the upper floors. Though she was curious as to what was up there, she reminded herself that Slytherin had died way before the construction of this place, so there would be no reason to disrupt it's new inhabitants just for curiosity's sake.</p><p>Just as she was trying to convince herself to turn around and leave, something peculiar caught her eye. Though it was almost out of view due to the way the staircase was positioned, the corner of an opened door stuck out just far enough that she could tell there was a closet, or cupboard of some sort underneath the stairwell.</p><p>Thinking hard on what she had discovered in her research of this place, she knew there was no basement in its construction plans, so it was likely just a small storage closet. She once again tried to convince herself to turn and walk away, but for some unknown reason she couldn't help but feel that she was supposed to be here. There was something about this specific location that she couldn't shake.</p><p>Before her rationality had a chance to resurface, she had charged toward the mystery door; sending the snakes in her path flying in every direction away from her. The hissing returned as they landed on top of each other; recoiling and slithering away into the corners of the room. Hermione ignored them as she kept her eyes focused on her destination. With her wand at the ready she approached the door slowly; stepping in front of its opening so her curiosity would be satisfied once and for all.</p><p>It was empty. A single rod, with a single hanger were all that was left in the small space that was obviously meant for coats. Feeling rather disappointed, Hermione sighed and dropped her wand hand back to her side. She was just about to turn around and leave, when her observant eyes noticed something else. There was a small gap between the wall and the floor; looking as if there was a false back to the closet that someone hadn't put back just right.</p><p>Hermione tilted her head to the side in curiosity, before taking a large step backward; knocking several snakes away from her in the process. She raised her wand again and pointed it at the back of the small cupboard under the stairs.</p><p>"Bombarda!" She shouted.</p><p>The blast caused the drywall to explode; the pieces crumbling and falling through what also turned out to be a fake floor. A large gaping hole was all that was left in the wake of the blast.</p><p>"Lumos." She cast more softly as she kneeled at the edge of what was left of the closet's flooring.</p><p>Hermione lowered her hand as far as it would go into the opening; the light at the tip of her wand illuminating a much deeper pit than she had expected. About ten feet down was a dirt floor, and she could see stone walls on each side; running perpendicular to the direction of the lighthouse's walls.</p><p>In her mind, she had a decision to make. She could jump down to investigate; following what she was pretty sure to be a tunnel and hope it led her to Slytherin's hideout. Or, she could turn around, leave, and continue to search for it from above ground; where she might eventually run into a window or a door that would give its location away.</p><p>She chose the former. Jumping down into the hole without a second thought. If all of her adventures with Harry had taught her anything, it was to trust her instincts. She was pretty sure they had brought her here for a reason, and there was no turning back now.</p><p>xxxxxxxx</p><p>As Hermione traveled down the long dark tunnel, about a thousand scenarios passed through her mind. Was this tunnel constructed at the same time as the lighthouse? Or was it here long before that?</p><p>Based on the construction materials and the way they were laid out she thought it looked rather recent, but she wasn't that familiar with architecture or design; having only read a few books on the subject. As she continued along, walking further down the corridor, another thought suddenly occurred to her. Could this have been constructed using magic instead of by hand? Surely this many stones that lined the walls of the tunnel couldn't have made it to the island in a timely fashion by boat?</p><p>And not only that, but how long would this have taken muggles to build? Especially on an island infested with poisonous snakes.</p><p>The deeper she walked, the more likely it seemed that a witch or wizard had built this. Specifically one that had a way with snakes. The only problem with that theory, however, was that it did not look anywhere near a thousand years old. It seemed much more plausible that it was built sometime within the past few decades, but that meant that whoever built this could very well still be here. Even with her protection orb, she felt uneasy about that possibility. She'd have to be on alert once she reached whatever was waiting for her at the tunnel's end.</p><p>After another twenty or so minutes, Hermione finally came to a stairwell that led to a single iron door. It looked heavy, but she was almost positive that what she was looking for was on the other side of it. Without hesitation she climbed up the stone steps and tried to force it open with her wand.</p><p>It didn't budge.</p><p>Confused, and yet extremely intrigued, she raised her wand again. "Alohomora."</p><p>Hermione tried to force the door open again but it still didn't open. With a huff of frustration, she stomped her foot against the ground. She was positive now that someone magical, and with knowledge of locking wards, had been the last one through this door.</p><p>Now more than ever, she knew that she had to get through to the other side, and decided it was time for a thorough inspection. She had read about different counter spells for extensive privacy charms, so all she needed to do was figure out which one it was keeping her out.</p><p>She leaned down slightly so her head was level with the door's jamb. She couldn't detect any small wisps of smoke, so the easiest ward to break was out. When that was eliminated, her eyes traveled up to the locking mechanism itself. It was there that she noticed a very subtle and thinly etched carving around the keyhole. To her utter dismay it was of a snake.</p><p>"Oh you have got to be freaking kidding me." She cursed aloud.</p><p>In hindsight, she really should have known; a snake etched onto the lock could only mean one thing after all. This door had obviously been sealed by a parselmouth, and the only way to get through it now was to speak it's language.</p><p>Knowing what had to be done, Hermione couldn't help but be grateful that she was an excellent listener. She had paid very close attention to Ron when they had broken into the Chamber of Secrets together, and luckily it hadn't even been an hour before her arrival to the past that he had mimicked Harry; gaining them access to get the basilisk fangs. All she had to do to move forward on her quest now was to remember his hissing pattern exactly.</p><p>"Hassss…" She faltered slightly as she tried to think back to that night. "What was it?"</p><p>As Hermione tried to remember the exact dialect of asking the chamber to open, her thought flashed back to her kiss with Ron.</p><p>"No, no no." She mentally reprimanded herself. " Now is not the time to feel guilty. There is plenty of time for that later."</p><p>Once again focused, Hermione stared straight at the lock; taking another deep breath before uttering the hissy syllables needed to move on. "Hessshhaa Hathsssaa."</p><p>Almost instantly she could hear a loud click from inside the door, and a moment later it swung open of its own accord. Glad that she had been successful, she breathed a sigh of relief before peeking her head around to get a look at the inside.</p><p>It was a small and relatively empty room. There was a table with a single piece of parchment on it, and a small painting of a butterfly that hung rather crookedly. A single door was straight ahead that she assumed would lead further into the dwelling. A thick layer of dust covered almost the entire room; making her believe that this place had been abandoned for quite some time.</p><p>Taking her first step into the room, Hermione felt a sense of dread creep up in her chest. If it weren't for the fact that she had come too far to leave the island with nothing she would have turned around that very second. Deciding to just be quick about it instead of abandoning her mission completely, she leaned over the desk to look at the bit of parchment; using her wand to wipe the dust away. There was a scribble in black ink, and she blew the remaining dust away with her breath before leaning in further to read what it said.</p><p>Enemies of the Heir Beware, All who enter further shall die a most painful death.</p><p>Hermione gulped as her eyebrows lifted. She had only seen the first part of that sentence once, and it had been over six years ago. The night her, Harry, and Ron had discovered a petrified Mrs. Norris outside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. It was the same wording that diary Tom Riddle had made Ginny write on the wall when he possessed her for the first time.</p><p>Did this mean that Voldemort had been here? Knowing that he had also discovered The Founders in the restricted section made it likely that he had been. It was understandable that he would want to find out what happened to his most intriguing ancestor. Dumbledore had also said that there was a ten year gap after Voldemort left Borgin and Burkes. Is this where he had been during that time?</p><p>Not wanting to waste anymore of her precious time, Hermione finally took her beaded purse from inside her cloak pocket, and resized it to normal. Unfortunately, her protection orb did not allow her to touch anything that wasn't encapsulated within its walls, so if she wanted to gather any items to take with her, she would have to remove it.</p><p>As unappealing as it was to get rid of her best form of protection, Hermione knew that it was her only choice if she didn't want this trip to be a complete waste of time. She wouldn't have time to study everything here before leaving, so it would be best to take as much as she could with her to read through over the remainder of the holidays.</p><p>Raising her wand in front of her she decided to make sure the rest of the place was void of any snakes before taking her charm down. The door to the left of the desk opened as she flicked her wand at it, and into the next room she went. Only, just as she took that first step past the threshold, her protection orb fell.</p><p>She could feel it burst from around her; something had disabled her charm without her consent and knew then that she was in trouble. Her plan of ridding every room of snakes before taking the charm down was now out the window. By the look of things it was unlikely she'd be able to put one back up either, as it felt like a certain magic was blocking all forms of protection. No wonder Tom Riddle had placed a warning of a certain painful death in the previous room, when he made sure not even a witch or wizard could protect themselves.</p><p>"I still have my wand." She reminded herself. "And three doses of antivenom. I'll just have to be quick."</p><p>Taking a look around the room, she noticed she was now in a kitchen, though about as antique of one as she could possibly imagine. Two cauldrons attached to chains hung from the ceiling over a rocky fire pit in the floor. There was a large wooden table on the far wall that looked to be a prep station of some sort.</p><p>A small hiss coming from inside the smaller cauldron clued her in that she was not alone. As it peaked it's head over the rim she could clearly see that it was one of the extra potent golden lanceheads. Not wanting it to have a chance to get anywhere near her, she turned her wand at it swiftly.</p><p>"Vipera Evanesca." She cast; causing it to vanish before her eyes.</p><p>Breathing a sigh of relief that she could still cast ordinary spells, Hermione began to move from room to room; vanishing any and all snakes she could find. After the kitchen, there was a living room/study that had a fireplace, two cozy armchairs, and a large desk. She had vanished another three snakes in that room before moving down the hallway where she discovered a small chamber pot room. It had a tiny window that looked directly out over the ocean, but with a shattered glass pain it was the obvious entry point for any snakes that had ended up inside.</p><p>After shutting the door behind her, she sealed it so no more could follow her back into the rest of the house, and went into the room across the hall. It was relatively empty; with only a small dust covered bed and a tiny bedside table next to it. Luckily, with no windows, it was void of any snakes. When she turned back around she noticed that the door was metal, and that there were two wall mounted candlesticks on either side of it.</p><p>"I have found it!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly. "This is the room that Sylvia described of her arrival. This really is where Salazar Slytherin ended up."</p><p>She glanced around the room one last time for any hidden snakes before moving back into the hall. There was only one more door at the end of it, which she assumed must have been the master bedroom.</p><p>As she headed toward it, she barely heard the hiss coming from above her before it was too late. A brown pit viper that had been coiled around the candle fixture on the ceiling, let go and dropped onto her from above. Hermione screamed as she felt its fangs pierce through her cloak and into her shoulder.</p><p>Though she could feel an intense burning sensation as the poison began to spread through her veins, she gathered her wits quickly. She pointed her wand at it and sent it flying off of her, its teeth ripping her flesh open in the process.</p><p>"Vipera Evanesca!"</p><p>It too vanished like all the others, and once she was sure there were no more waiting to get a bite out of her too, she dug the black pouch from within her cloak's pocket. With quick fingers, she had the first vial uncorked and tipped it down her throat. It tasted of ash and charcoal, and she coughed as it went down.</p><p>The antivenin worked quickly at least, as she could feel the burning sensation fade as the potion too worked its way through her body. She was left with only the piercing pain in her shoulder now, as blood began to soak through her sweater. She winced as she pressed her palm against it, knowing that pressure would help.</p><p>With another glance around, Hermione again headed to the last room she had left to explore in the dwelling, and twisted the knob. She needed to gather things quickly so that Madame Pomfrey could see to her shoulder.</p><p>Like the lighthouse, as soon as she entered this room, she almost ran right back out of it. Though her reason for wanting to leave the lighthouse had to do with the unending mass of snakes covering the entirety of the floor, her desire to flee this room was much different.</p><p>Instead of a sea of snakes, there was a large four poster on the far wall; and on it, laid an extremely withered and mummified corpse. There was little fabric left covering the body, as it had been centuries since they had last known life. With all of the information that she had gathered over the past few months, there was no doubt in her mind that this was in fact the remains of Salazar Slytherin himself.</p><p>Once the shock of finding his dead body had worn off, Hermione held her breath before investigating the old room. It appeared to be void of any snakes, but after the ceiling fixture incident she wasn't planning on taking anymore risks.</p><p>From a safe distance away, she acciod anything that looked useful; including a few books that had been left out on the nightstand. A hovering charm was used to dump out any drawers, and she flipped the cedar chest on it's end as well before placing anything intriguing into her bag.</p><p>When she had gone through Salazar's bedroom thoroughly, she used one last spell to cover what remained of his bones with a blanket. Though stories told of his cruelty to muggles, he was still a noteworthy historical figure to the wizarding world, and she felt he at least deserved that as a last respect paid to him.</p><p>Now that she had finished in the master bedroom, she headed back out into the living room; confident that no more snakes resided in the hideout with her. Though she was eager to take the portkey back to Hogwarts to get her shoulder healed, Hermione still had one more thing to check; the desk in the living room. She had cleared it of snakes as she passed it earlier, but hadn't gathered anything from it yet. At this point she'd gone through too much to leave any useful information behind, so she wasn't leaving until she was confident she had everything.</p><p>Unfortunately, as she crossed the hall to go back into the living room, she heard more hissing. Her wand was in a defensive position in an instant as she looked around for the source of the noise, but there were no snakes in sight.</p><p>Using the same technique she had in Slytherin's bedroom, Hermione dumped the top desk drawer out onto the floor; deciding that speed was now of the essence. She accio'd the entire contents into her bag before starting on the next one when another hiss echoed into the room.</p><p>Hermione looked up at the doorway that led to the kitchen, and immediately froze in fear. Coming through the entrance door in waves, were about a hundred or more vipers. From the looks of it, the same ones she had disrupted in the lighthouse earlier.</p><p>Now that she knew what was coming for her, she quickened her pace; accioing everything into her bag with one hand, and yanking drawers out with the other. With one eye focused on the door to make sure she still had time before they reached her, and the other guiding the flow of objects into her purse, she didn't notice the golden lancehead that had been hidden inside the final drawer.</p><p>As she yanked it out of its spot, the yellow snake had made it's own move. It lunged out of the airborne drawer, and sank its teeth into Hermione's forearm; causing her to shriek and drop the drawer directly on her foot.</p><p>The contents rained to the floor as Hermione couldn't help but cry out in a mixture of fear and pain. She abandoned her constant stream of summoning objects into her bag so she could vanish the vile snake that still had its fangs dug deep in her arm. When it was gone, she clutched her injured arm to her chest; whimpering as the venom caused her flesh and bone to burn with an intensity so hot she was sure she was about to pass out. She was lucky that the invigoration draught from earlier was still keeping her going.</p><p>Another wave of hissing brought her focus back to the situation she was still in. The rest of the snakes had now made it through to the living room, and there were only about a dozen or so steps between her and them now. Even if she hadn't been weakened and injured by a second snake bite, there were way too many to vanish. It was clear that it was time to leave.</p><p>As she stepped toward the hall with the intent of barring herself in the small bedroom while she dug her portkey out, Hermione took a final glance at the items she had spilled on the floor. Though her safety came first, she couldn't help but notice a set of leather bound books that had fallen out of that last drawer. They looked important.</p><p>Before she could stop herself, her mind had formed a rather risky plan. As if on autopilot, her body started in on the motions that went with it. If things went well she would be back inside the castle walls within seconds, those books clutched firmly in her hands. However, if things went bad... well it was likely that Charlie would have to carry out his last promise to her after all.</p><p>With her right hand she tucked her wand back into her pocket, while the left dug into her cloak for the velvet bag Just as the first group of snakes made it to the desk, she dove at the pile of journals on the floor; her now free wand hand swiping as many of them up against her chest as possible. Several vipers coiled upwards; they were vicious and ready to strike her in tandem.</p><p>With one final move, Hermione dumped the portkey to the floor and pressed her palm firmly against the white chess piece. The last thing she saw as the sensation of spinning blurred her vision were several sets of sharp barred teeth coming right toward her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The spinning seemed to last an eternity as the snake's venom continued to course it way through her veins. The pain that second bite had caused was almost blinding, and it took every ounce of Hermione's strength to hold onto the portkey. It felt as if her entire arm was on fire, and she had to grit her teeth together to stop herself from screaming.</p><p>It wasn't until the familiar white linen of the hospital wing's curtains came into focus minutes later that she realized the portkey had finally landed. How she had made it back without any snakes tagging along through another bite was a complete miracle. She only hoped that she hadn't dropped any of her last minute souvenirs mid-travel.</p><p>With shaky arms, Hermione set the bundle of books in her arms onto the stone floor beside her before checking the fresh bite on her inner forearm. The lancehead's fangs had ripped through the sleeve of her sweater, but the blood had caused the torn fabric to stick to the wound.</p><p>Unable to properly assess the damage, she gently slipped the woven fabric up her arm; wincing as the material was peeled away. The sight of her mangled arm underneath almost had her throwing up for the second time that day. Not only was the wound already oozing puss and leaking gobs of thick blood, but some of her skin had disintegrated completely. The remaining flesh that was left had turned a sickly green, and she knew that another dose of her antivenin was needed immediately.</p><p>With the hand of her other arm, she fished the pouch with the two remaining potions back out of her pocket, and grabbed the vial on the left. She gulped the liquid down as soon as it had been uncorked with her thumb, before collapsing backward onto the floor.</p><p>She coughed and sputtered as the ashy liquid worked its way down her throat. With little energy left, she considered letting herself pass out there in that very spot. It was tempting to close her eyes and let herself just drift off, but the logical part of her brain worried that if she did she wouldn't wake up again. She had lost a lot of blood and the antivenom could only do so much.</p><p>Just as she was battling consciousness, a familiar bearded figure came into view; hoving over her. She wasn't sure how long he had been there, or if he even knew to heal her the rest of the way, but it was a relief just to know that she wasn't alone anymore.</p><p>Unable to fight sleep off any longer, Hermione succumbed to her exhaustion; barely hearing the whisper of, "You're going to be alright Miss Granger," before it took her.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>When she finally awoke it was dark outside. Once again, it took her a moment to realize where she was; the dim lighting making it hard to see. It was the crisp white drapery panels and bed linens that reminded her once more that she was in the hospital wing. Still groggy, Hermione wiped the sleep from her eyes and pushed herself up into a sitting position; stretching as she looked around.</p><p>It appeared she had been moved from the floor, and onto one of the nearby beds. She was also now clad in one of the hospital gowns, with the sleeve of her left arm rolled up to her elbow. A long strip of white gauze had been wrapped around her forearm where the bite had been, and she had a sudden urge to undo it; curious to see how much it had healed over the past few hours. Though she couldn't feel any pain at the moment, she wasn't sure if she'd been given anything for it while she slept.</p><p>Still curious about her other injury, Hermione reached inside the collar of her gown and pressed her fingers gently against her shoulder. She could feel where another large bandage had been taped over that bite mark too. Now that she knew they had both been tended to, she decided to assess how bad the damage was, Hermione fumbled with the spell-o-tape keeping the gauze together before carefully unwinding the strip of fabric from her arm.</p><p>When the bandage fell away, she saw a much smaller, much less oozy version of the bite she'd received earlier. There were still two predominant holes from where the fangs had struck her, but the flesh was starting to repair itself, and her skin was now an irritated red color rather than a sickly green.</p><p>If she had to guess, either Dumbledore or Madam Pompfrey had applied a vast amount of dittany to it along with a dose of blood replenishing potion. She felt a bit like her boyfriend's father at the moment; during the holidays of her fifth year, when he'd been bit by the very snake she was trying to figure out how to destroy.</p><p>The thought of Nagini had Hermione's mind scrambling once again; reminding her she needed to find her bag and the books that had been hiding in that final drawer. She needed to know where they had been placed after she had passed out, and she needed to start studying them as soon as she could.</p><p>The large double doors at the entrance to the infirmary creaked loudly as they opened suddenly; causing Hermione's attention to be drawn to the tall figure entering the room rather than to the location of her belongings or her mission.</p><p>"Oh good." Dumbledore said as he approached. "You're awake. I was just coming to change your bandages once more for the night, though I see you've already given me a headstart." He gestured to her still uncovered bite mark.</p><p>"Yes, sorry." She muttered as she glanced at her marred flesh again; noticing for the first time that the fangs had pierced between the first o and the second d of the word mudblood. She was sure her scar was going to look even stranger after this. "I was just curious about what happened after I passed out."</p><p>"Curiosity is not necessarily a bad thing." He said as he brandished a few different vials from the top drawer of the nightstand, and sat upon the stool at her bedside. "Hold out your arm please?"</p><p>Hermione held her wrist out, palm up as requested, and he began to slather a few drops of dittany onto the wound. When that was done, he followed it with a mysterious yellow potion, and finally a grey paste.</p><p>"By the glance I took of the belongings you returned with, I'll take it your trip was a success?" He asked as he began to wind a fresh strip of gauze around her arm.</p><p>"I didn't get a good look at anything in particular, and I had to leave rather quickly after the protection orb failed me." She explained. "But I think so. I acquired a lot of items and books that will take some time to get through. I just hope it was enough."</p><p>Dumbledore finished her arm and moved on to administer the same potions to her shoulder bite. "When you are up for it, I put everything in the bottom drawer of the nightstand. I have to say, those leather bound journals look especially promising. They appear to be from the early twelfth century if I had to guess." He speculated as he taped a new bandage over the bite on her shoulder. "I know they hadn't been discovered in this time originally, but such an interesting find has me curious. Maybe once we catch up to your time I could take a look at them myself."</p><p>Hermione froze when she realized what he had asked. The knowledge that she'd be returning to a time when he was long dead resurfaced, and caused her face to read like an open book to the secrets of her past.</p><p>"S..sure." She finally stuttered after a long pause.</p><p>Though she tried to recover and act normal, the damage had already been done. By the look in his eye, he knew the fate that would become him in only seven years time.</p><p>"Or maybe you could hold onto them and donate them to a museum when you return." He suggested in an attempt to change the subject.</p><p>Hermione nodded solemnly. "To satisfy your curiosity, the items actually belonged to Salazar Slytherin." She played along, though her thoughts drifted to a similar place that they had been in that morning. "I'm sure any wizarding museum would be happy to take my findings."</p><p>"Though I find that fascinating, I shall ask no more about it." He replied as he stood from the stool. "It will do neither of us any good for you to spill secrets I needn't know anything about."</p><p>"Sorry, sir." She apologized. "You're absolutely right."</p><p>"I'm leaving you a sleeping draught for tonight, and you'll need another round of medications in the morning." He changed the subject again. "I'll have Poppy administer them. You should be able to return to your dormitory after."</p><p>"Of course." She replied, realizing he was going to distance himself from her after this. "Thank you for helping me today."</p><p>"You are most welcome." He bowed his head to her. "Good night."</p><p>As the old headmaster walked away, Hermione's mind continued to flash back to the night he died. She knew she wasn't supposed to change anything; knew that it would disrupt her timeline and possibly stop this day from ever happening to begin with, but for some reason she couldn't help but speak up. Letting the one man, who's survival could help Harry's cause the most, die all over again seemed wrong. Somehow she felt the consequences just might be worth it if she could save him.</p><p>"Professor!" She called out after him.</p><p>"Yes Miss Walters?" He stopped and turned to face her again.</p><p>Before she could stop herself, she called out the simplest warning she could think of. "Professor Snape isn't who you think he is."</p><p>Dumbledore paused for a long while; staring her down as he pondered what she meant by that.</p><p>"No Miss Granger." He finally spoke. "Professor Snape isn't who you think he is."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(Two weeks later)</p><p>Hermione was curled up in a sitting position, staring out at the landscape from her window seat in the common room. Her hand was resting against the glass pane as she watched the snowflakes fall to the ground below.</p><p>The Hogwarts Express was due to return today; bringing Charlie back with it. Though she had missed him terribly, the things she had discovered over the past two weeks were going to cause them to have a much different reunion than she had originally planned.</p><p>She wanted to spend the rest of the day holed up with him somewhere warm and cozy. A private place where they could continue to explore their newfound sexual relationship. Fate, it turned out, meant their conversation would have to be a bit more serious than how much they wanted to jump each other's bones.</p><p>Now that she had all the information, it was time to start making preparations; preparations only someone like Charlie could accomplish.</p><p>As much as Hermione hated the subject of divination, she could no longer deny that fate and destiny did actually exist. The prophecy that doomed Harry to his title of the chosen one was one thing, but a discovery she had made that very morning proved even further that it existed. She was now convinced fully that it was either fate, destiny, or a combination of the two that had brought her to the past to begin with, and that meeting Charlie had been a part of that plan all along.</p><p>
  <em>- - - -begin flashback- - - -</em>
</p><p>After Hermione had been treated by Madame Pomfrey the day after her trip to Snake Island, she had secluded herself in Gryffindor tower to go through all her findings. She had started with the trinkets and artifacts in her bag first; knowing that the books could take several days to go through by themselves.</p><p>Laying them out one by one, she organized the ancient versions of omnioculars, sneakoscopes, and other magical devices. There had even been a few odd pieces of jewelry that looked like they belonged to a set matching the ring turned horcrux.</p><p>After taking inventory, she charmed each item with a preservation charm and loaded them back into her bag for safekeeping. As promised, she planned to donate them to a museum once the war was over...or if Voldemort won, at least they were proof to rub in his face that she had found his hiding spot and made it out alive anyway.</p><p>When she had finished examining everything that was not a book, she started on the texts she had taken from Slytherin's bedroom; wanting to save his journals for last. There were books on Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle. Tomes of foreign magical discoveries. Manuals of magical construction and tenth century architecture. Though these books were intriguing, and shed a certain light on how Salazar lived his life post Hogwarts, there was no profound information in them that could help her destroy Nagini in battle.</p><p>Four days after her journey, she was finally able to crack open the first journal in a stack of eleven. It was an interesting read for sure, though it took her a little longer to read through than most books. They were written in Old English, and his handwriting hadn't been the smoothest; so she'd been forced to read the paragraphs slowly and carefully in order to avoid missing any valuable information.</p><p>Salazar, it turned out, had lived a fruitarian lifestyle; eating only the fruits and nuts grown naturally on the island for sustenance. He had also spent the remainder of his life thoroughly studying snakes. Everything about their behavior had been documented; from the way they hunted, to the way they ate and slept, and even how his arrival to the island had changed them.</p><p>There were several pages dedicated to the short visit he'd had with his daughter, and it wasn't until the sixth journal that she finally found a hint of what she'd been looking for. The messy scrawl made the suspicions in her head come full circle as she deciphered his words.</p><p>
  <em>Not every serpent that resides here is what it seems. As I continue to interact with them, I learn more and more about the world from the past. Some of these snakes are not actually snakes at all. Those not, are very special indeed, and have very interesting tales to share.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can hear it in the way they hiss, and their whispers show me the secrets of the lives they've left behind. Some of them have angry and vengeful thoughts, and it seems they are only too happy to have an ally who can understand them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>One of the larger, green vipers told me of a curse that ran through the women in her family. It passes mitochondrially; through their blood.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I had been told of the maledictus as a child; through stories my father told while hunting. This, however, is the first time I've discovered irrefutable proof of their existence. I plan to conduct more research on the subject in the future. If only I'd had more time before leaving Hogwarts so abruptly, I could have brought more books to help me in my quest of knowledge and understanding these magnificent creatures.</em>
</p><p>Though this confirmed that maledictus did exist, and that they liked to travel to snake island upon the curses completion, Hermione was no closer to discovering how this related to her own quest to destroy Nagini. It wasn't until half way through the next journal that he returned to the subject of interest; finally shedding some light on how this all came into play.</p><p>
  <em>My pretty green viper has become extremely attached to me. It seems having someone close who can understand her has caused her to latch onto me. She has told me of her life; how she came here from India after the curse was enacted, and that her name in life was Nidra.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I find myself becoming enthralled with her myself, and she spends most of her days curled up in the armchair by my desk. As I continue to get to know her, I find myself wondering if somehow the curse can be broken.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Unfortunately, I also learned she birthed a daughter before learning the extent of her family history. That means that the curse has been passed on, and her daughter will suffer the same fate eventually.</em>
</p><p>The words on the page caused a ripple effect in Hermione's brain. She had always thought it curious the way Nagini was so attached to Voldemort. There was something strange about the way Nagini not only understood him, but followed him with absolute loyalty. No familiar she had ever heard of before demonstrated that level of servitude.</p><p>Hermione finally found herself asking the right questions. Was Nagini really a Maledictus? A Hindu witch forever cursed to live as a snake; like her female ancestors before her. Was having someone like Voldemort, a parselmouth who could still understand her, the reason she was such a peculiar snake. And if she is, was there a way to protect her and her friends so they could get in close enough to destroy her?</p><p>The second to last journal, which she had been up late reading the night before, had finally given her some answers.</p><p>
  <em>Nidra has become my companion. Our bond reminds me of my old familiar, a particularly large and regal yellow python, only this feels much stronger. She follows my instructions almost instinctively, and in a way I know is unique to the two of us alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I've started an experiment of sorts in an attempt to research and document our strange connection. It came by way of some visitors the island had today. A small group of muggles that arrived by boat just after dawn.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Though they did not see me before their deaths, I was curious of the power or influence I have over Nidra. I instructed her to pick them off one by one, which she did happily and willingly; sinking her fangs into their arms and legs, and infecting them with her potent venom.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After witnessing her skill and strength in combat, I allowed a group of nearby serpents to pick their bones clean; not wanting a fresh kill to go to waste. As the muggles were being devoured, my curiosity got the better of me.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I began to ask myself questions about her abilities. Were they due to her breed of viper specifically, or did her magical past and the curse make her a stronger opponent? Did her bond with me, another magical, contribute to her abilities as a fierce predator, or is it just wishful thinking.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I personally believe it is a factor, but I will have to conduct more experiments to be sure. By bonding with her in this way, can I create the ultimate weapon? Is she truly unstoppable in her state?</em>
</p><p>Everything about this passage reminded her of the bond Harry described between Voldemort and Nagini. Hermione was now all but convinced that Tom Riddle had recreated the relationship described in the journals. She had always wondered how he had come by such a snake that showed him unwavering loyalty, and the answer now started her straight in the face. He must have met Nagini there on that island, just as Slytherin had met Nidra. Isolated and alone, it was no wonder his ability to understand her lead to their unnatural bond.</p><p>Hopeful that there was more to learn, Hermione had turned to the final journal that very morning; finding the last clue half way down the fourth page.</p><p>
  <em>So far Nidra is every bit as unstoppable in battle as I'd hoped. Between her and the Basilisk I left deep within Hogwarts, I could easily have my revenge on those traitorous fools who took over my school.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I test her power and skill set every time we have visitors to the island. She's quick and witty like a human, but her poison and ability to blend in with nature gives her an extra advantage. I find myself wishing we had magical visitors from time to time instead of only muggle vermin, that way I could give her the ultimate test. If only my health were better and I had the energy to travel off the island; we'd use the other founders in an instant.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Other times, Nidra and I converse. She tells me what she knows about her species and ancestors, and I tell her the lore I'd been brought up on of the Maledictus. She's confirmed most of it to be true, and even added more that hadn't been translated from her original language.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The legend said that once a witch had turned into the beast for the last time, part of their mind would start to go. They would be compelled to attack those unaffected by the curse whom they had once loved. According to Nidra's aunt, in order to protect those they cared for, there was an amulet that could be forged beforehand. This amulet would protect the wearer from not only them, but any dark creature that dare cross their path.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It is unclear if such an amulet could actually be made, or if it is just part of a story to entertain. Unfortunately, the one book that comes to mind on the subject was left at Hogwarts with the others I wish were still in my possession.</em>
</p><p>Though the idea of an amulet that could protect them was not lost on her, it was the word <em>forged </em>specifically that struck a cord deep within Hermione.</p><p>"Forging." She had whispered to herself, as her mind reeled back to the day in October when Charlie had kissed her for the first time.</p><p>It was the day he had left Hogsmeade early so he could catch up to her instead; where he'd found her just after she'd left the library. She'd been in the restricted section looking for clues on how to protect her and her friends from harm, and had gathered a stack of books that eventually made their way into her bag for transport.</p><p>As Hermione flashed back to that day, she could clearly see each book she had loaded into her beaded bag before getting the distraction of a lifetime minutes later when he kissed her. There were two spellbooks, one from India and one from Spain; neither of which contained a single noteworthy charm or spell that could help them. An almost undecipherable latin text that she later realized had to do with creating grimoires. And lastly, the heavy, iron book that had peaked her interest just by its looks. The book she then realized she'd never picked up again.</p><p>The book titled <em>The Art of Forging.</em></p><p>As soon as the memory of the book had been triggered, Hermione had dashed up the stairs to her dorm to get her bag. She couldn't believe it possible that the solution to her biggest problem had already been in her possession for months.</p><p>The moment the purse was in her grasp, she had it overturned on her bed; dumping all of its contents onto the mattress. A wave of personal belongings, preserved artifacts, and books clattered and bounced against each other as she shook each item from within. She wanted to kick herself for not remembering that blasted book before now.</p><p>As was typical, the old iron book was the last thing to shake free. The unbelievable weight of it had likely caused it to sink to the bottom the instant it had been placed in her bag; hence why it had not been rediscovered before now.</p><p>It was in her hands just seconds after it landed; feeling the need to absorb all of its information at once and to see if the story of the amulet was real. The overhead lights reflected off the shiny metal cover and she could just make out the etchings of archaeological symbols embedded into it.</p><p>There was a latch keeping her from flipping through the thick pages immediately, also made from metal. Hermione had to hold it by the spine to inspect the locking mechanism, before she could learn its secrets. It didn't take long before she figured out there was a dial in the shape of a sun that had to be twisted into exactly the right position and pressed down. Once she had it in place, the lock clicked open; finally allowing her to flip the cover and reveal instructions on how to make an assortment of staffs, swords, and amulets.</p><p>It was on the fourth page in particular that she discovered what she was looking for; an amulet that would protect the wearer from any dark creature that dared them harm. It was the answer she had been looking for all along; the thing that would allow them to get close enough to Nagini without getting attacked in the process.</p><p>Included was a list of materials and ingredients; several hard to come by, along with a final step so specific that there was no way her meeting Charlie in the past could be classified as a coincidence anymore.</p><p>
  <em>Completed once touched by the flame of a dragon's first fire.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>- - - -end of flashback- - - -</em>
</p><p>As her mind finally finished its rerun of events, she turned away from the window to stare at the old metal book on the table again instead. The words of the final step for forging the amulet stared up at her from the black steel page.</p><p>Her pointer finger traced the etched words over and over again as she contemplated how much more she was going to have to reveal to Charlie by the day's end. The secret of the horcruxes was supposed to be kept just between Harry, Ron, and herself; but it was now clear that she would have to let Charlie in on that too. His knowledge and expertise, along with the access his future career would grant him to the final step of forging the amulet meant she had no other choice.</p><p>If they were going to win the war without losing anyone else, they needed his help. And for him to help them, he was going to need to know everything. Every last detail.</p><p>xxxxxxxx</p><p>Hermione's thoughts were still running a mile a minute when he found her half an hour later.</p><p>Charlie had been a nervous wreck the entire train ride; so eager to see her that he'd cast a confundus on the conductor to make it go faster. As intended, this caused them to arrive earlier than normal.</p><p>Before the train had even made a full stop, he'd jumped off the railing into the snow. He needed to know that she made it back safely from her mission, and he couldn't wait any longer. Knowing that he would be faster on foot rather than wait on one of the carriages, he took off at a run for the castle.</p><p>Because he'd been surrounded by his family, Hermione hadn't wanted to risk sending him an owl in case anyone saw it and started to ask questions. Though he understood her reasoning, he still couldn't stand not knowing if she'd made it back or not and he was worried.</p><p>The snow was coming down softly, but he barely noticed it as he sprinted along the path. His mind was focused solely on finding Hermione, and if she wasn't in the castle he'd go straight to Dumbledore to send out a search party.</p><p>As he'd leapt off the train so fast, and taken off at a run before the carriages had even been called, he was by far the first person to make it back to Gryffindor Tower. Though slightly out of breath, he coughed out the password to the fat lady and clambered in through the portrait hole; hoping beyond hope that he would find her there.</p><p>"Hermione." He called out.</p><p>Before her name had even fully left his lips, he saw her. Though previously hunched over a book on the table, she had turned in surprise at the sound of his voice; their eyes locking from across the room. She seemed frazzled, but she was alive and seemingly unharmed.</p><p>"Oh thank the founders." He sighed.</p><p>The relief he felt just knowing she was safe overtook all of his other senses as he hurdled toward her. He was in front of her in an instant; pulling her into his chest and wrapping his arms around her tightly.</p><p>"You made it back early." She breathed into his chest with a slight smile; his presence immediately lifting her spirits.</p><p>"I confounded the conductor into speeding the train up a bit." He replied; the glee in his voice reminiscent of his younger twin brothers. "I needed to make sure you were alive and in one piece, and I couldn't wait any longer." He admitted as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.</p><p>Before she could laugh at his impatience, he suddenly pushed her back from him at arms length; looking her over carefully. "You are in one piece aren't you?"</p><p>"Yes, Charlie." She nodded with a coy smile. "And while I know you are dying to hear about my dangerous journey, there are a lot of things we desperately need to talk about." She explained. "...but first can you please just kiss me and tell me how much you missed me?"</p><p>His usual grin finally surfaced as it spread across his face. "Of course." He said as he leaned down. "I missed you terribly." He whispered just before pressing an enthusiastic kiss to her lips.</p><p>Hermione's arms wrapped themselves around his neck as she kissed back, and a shiver ran down her spine as she felt the tip of his tongue swipe across her bottom lip. She couldn't believe how much she had missed this.</p><p>"I missed you too." She whispered as she pushed herself up on her tiptoes; needing to bring herself closer and feel his body pressed against hers.</p><p>She was just starting to get into it when he suddenly hoisted her up in his arms bridal style. A squeak slipped from her lips at the sudden movement, and she noticed he was walking them toward the portrait hole he had just come from.</p><p>"What is it?" She asked confused, unhappy that their snog had been cut short.</p><p>"I ran ahead of everyone else, but I imagine they will be back soon." He explained as he maneuvered them through the opening. "And I'd rather have you all to myself if you don't mind."</p><p>"Not at all." She said smiling; suddenly getting an idea. "In fact, I think I know the perfect place."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Where are you taking me?" He asked against her lips.</p><p>They had finally made it to the seventh floor, after making several stops to snog in secluded corners along the way. After being separated for so long, he couldn't seem to keep his hands off her.</p><p>For as cold as it was outside, Hermione was starting to feel very very hot. Though she knew they needed to have a very long and serious discussion about the future, she couldn't help but want to give in let him have his wicked way with her first.</p><p>She grinned and grabbed him by the hand; untangling herself from his arms. "I'll show you." She said as she dragged him further down the hall; stopping just past the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy.</p><p>"I need somewhere warm and cozy to read a book." Hermione said to the blank wall, not wanting to admit out loud that what she really wanted was a private place for her and Charlie to shag like bunnies. She figured whatever it conjured based on her request would work just as well.</p><p>"Um...what?" He asked, looking equal parts confused and disappointed.</p><p>"I need somewhere warm and cozy to read a book." She repeated with a teasing smirk. "I need somewhere warm and cozy to read a book."</p><p>A pair of ornately carved antique doors appeared out of nowhere in front of them as she thought hard about what she wanted three times in a row. Charlie's eyes widened at their sudden appearance, and she used the opportunity to quickly pull him inside.</p><p>The room they entered was the epitome of coziness. On the far wall was a large stone fireplace with a roaring fire blazing in it's hearth. A very thick and plush red shag rug lay on the floor in front of it; with an oversized, deep cushioned sofa on one side, and two squashy armchairs on the other.</p><p>Hermione grinned at the space the room of requirement had created for them; the perfectness of it giving her an excellent idea. If they were going to have to spend the rest of the day talking about the amulets and forming a battle plan, she was going to give him the ride of his life beforehand. Now that he was home she couldn't care less if fate was the reason they were together. She truly loved him for who he was, and how he made her feel anyway.</p><p>Needing to feel his lips on hers again, she pulled Charlie toward her by the lapels of his shirt; kissing him heatedly. Too excited by the prospect of having sex to care what mysterious room she had brought him into, he kissed back; sliding a hand against the side of her neck. Before he could deepen it himself, Hermione had thrust her tongue into his mouth; taking charge.</p><p>After several minutes of him attempting to get the lead back unsuccessfully, he finally relented and let her do as she pleased. Smirking against his lips in triumph, one of Hermione's hands slipped down to his belt, where she quickly had it unbuckled and thrown to the side. She could tell he was already hard as the tips of her fingers brushed against the bulge.</p><p>"Holy hell Hermione." He whispered, loving how desperate she seemed for him.</p><p>Her fingers undid the button on his pants before slipping beneath the band of his boxers. She stroked him firmly with her palm as her tongue kept at it's steady exploration of his mouth.</p><p>Charlie groaned as she rubbed her hand up and down his package, and he sucked on her lower lip in approval. One of his hands slid down to grope her backside; sliding his hand into the pocket of her jeans as he tried to grind into her hand.</p><p>"Mmmm." He hummed in delight. "I had hoped you'd welcome me back with another surprise shag."</p><p>She giggled against his lips as her hand continued to work him over. "Deliberately and enthusiastically." She confirmed that was where they were headed as she attempted to pull his shirt up with her free hand.</p><p>Not wanting to waste any time, he tugged it off over his head himself; barely breaking the kiss before their lips connected again. He'd thought of little else other than her since his departure, and other than worrying about her constantly he couldn't help but daydream about their last coupling nonstop.</p><p>"Take off your pants." She commanded him; suddenly pushing him toward the furniture with both hands impatiently.</p><p>Charlie nodded vigorously as he complied; kicking his shoes off and flinging them out of the way. When he looked back at her, she already had her shoes and socks off as well, and was continuing to undress. Within seconds her jeans were unbuttoned and pushed down to her ankles.</p><p>"Off." She demanded more urgently, noticing he had taken to watching her instead of stripping. "And lay on the ground." She added as she took her jumper off as well.</p><p>"Yeah, anything." He replied, pushing his already undone pants the rest of the way to the floor. He stepped out of them before dropping to the center of the shag rug in front of the fire. He would do anything she wanted if it meant she'd keep acting like this.</p><p>The rug was warm and cushioning against his back as she followed him to the floor; dropping her panties and bra in the process. He loved the way the firelight reflected off her bare skin; a nice contrast from the dim shadows he'd tried to study her under the night before he'd left three weeks ago.</p><p>He watched her intently as she sauntered toward him; her petite breasts bouncing slightly as she kneeled at his feet. Their eyes locked onto each other silently and he braced his elbows against the floor so he could sit up for a better view. He was anticipating her next move eagerly.</p><p>She leaned forward; placing her left hand on his chest to steady herself as she straddled his waist. As if in slow motion, she ground herself against the bulge still in his boxers, causing him to moan and dig his fingers into her hip in response.</p><p>"I missed you so bloody much." He claimed through grit teeth as she repeated the motion.</p><p>With one hand on her waist and the other arm still propping himself up, Charlie leaned further forward to take one of her nipples into his mouth. Hermione threw her head back as his mouth continued its assault; unable to respond to his declaration due to the deep moan he coaxed from within her. Her fingers threaded themselves in his hair as she ground down again.</p><p>Unable to keep himself upright anymore, Charlie fell back against the rug. He wanted to be inside her right that second, but didn't dare form the words out loud in case it deterred her from acting so wanton. With his hands now free, he wrapped one around the back of her neck to pull her in for another kiss. The other reached up to tweak a nipple between his fingers as their tongues met. He had never seen her this uninhibited before and couldn't wait to see what move she made next.</p><p>Hermione was aching at this point. As exciting as kissing and foreplay was, what she really wanted was for him to be inside her as she bounced up and down on him. As far as she was concerned it was time to make that happen.</p><p>Knowing that to make that a reality she would have to remove his last article of clothing, Hermione began to kiss down his chest as she scooted her hips backwards. Hooking her fingers into the waistband of his boxers, she dragged them down his muscular legs; also dragging her tongue along his shaft in the process.</p><p>He shuddered as he felt her glorious tongue swirl against the head of his cock, but it only lasted for one swipe before she had planted a knee on each side of him and straddled his hips again. He groaned at the loss, but recovered quickly when he saw what she was up to.</p><p>Charlier propped himself up again; unable to stay still. One of her arms wrapped delicately around the back of his neck as her other hand guided the tip of his throbbing member to her entrance. Her nipples brushed up his chest to his chin, and then back down again as she let him sink into her at an achingly slow pace. He threw his head back with another low groan as she impaled herself on him to the hilt. Her tight heat embracing him even better than he'd remembered.</p><p>Hermione whimpered as she sank down on him; that feeling of being stretched that she still wasn't quite used to making her pause as she adjusted to the intrusion. It wasn't necessarily painful like her first time had been, but he was thick enough that she needed a moment to get used to it.</p><p>Before long the discomfort subsided and she lifted herself up slightly; pausing again before sliding back down until he was fully seated inside her.</p><p>"Oh fuck." He cursed involuntarily as she experimented with her first bounce.</p><p>She smirked down at him proudly as she repeated the motion, only faster this time. It hadn't taken as long for her to find rhythm that felt natural, and she was now reveling in the pleasure the friction brought her.</p><p>Hermione purposefully rubbed her tits against his chest with every bounce, and ground her hips against his pelvis with every thrust. His free hand had long abandoned her breast to hold her hip as she rode him instead.</p><p>Knowing that wouldn't do, she guided her right breast to his mouth and massaged the back of his neck to hint that she wanted him to suck on it again; moaning as his tongue came out to lick a circle around it. He pulled the peak between his teeth and did as silently requested; biting, nibbling and sucking one as he pinched and twisted the other between his fingers.</p><p>Now that she was getting used to being on top, she began to ride him maniacally; lifting herself up even higher than before, and slamming herself back down with more force each time. She was extremely aroused and glistening with sweat by the time he finally had enough of her in control and flipped them over in one swift movement.</p><p>He gripped her behind the knees so he could spread her legs wider; the suddenness of him jerking her toward him causing her back to arch off the floor. She half screamed, half moaned as he took the lead and began to thrust in and out of her at an even faster pace than before.</p><p>Hermione was aching at this point. She could feel her first orgasm in weeks approaching as his thrusts increased in intensity. Her breathing became erratic and her moans came out in pants as he continued to drive her to that finish line.</p><p>"Oh shit, oh shit." She chanted his favorite curse in a whisper; burying her face into the crook of his neck as he continued to pound away. "I'm so close."</p><p>Knowing that he wasn't going to last much longer either, Charlie released his grip on her left knee so he could press the pad of his thumb against her previously ignored clit to help her along. He rubbed it firmly as he kissed his way down to suck on her nipple again; meanwhile never relenting with his forceful thrusts.</p><p>"Holy fucking hell." He cursed against the skin of her breast as she began to clench around him immediately. With another swipe against her clit, and a rather harsh suck to her nipple, he had her squeezing his hips tightly between her thighs. He growled into her chest as he came almost without warning.</p><p>She almost blacked out from the intensity of her own orgasm as it hit her. A scream escaped her throat as she clenched, and she continued to rock against him through the waves of pleasure that overtook her; prolonging the pleasure he felt as well.</p><p>Charlie held her to him as they both gasped for breath. Her entire body seemed to still be spasming in the aftershock. His hand began to rub her back in a soothing manner; stroking it up and down as he kissed back up her neck. There was no way he'd be able to roll off of her until she relaxed, as her thighs were locked around his waist in a vise grip.</p><p>"Are you alright?" He asked her once he finally caught his breath; noticing how her eyes were squeezed shut.</p><p>"No." She shook her head back and forth; slowly opening her eyes in the process. "I think you just put me in a sex induced coma."</p><p>Charlie chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead; not seeming to mind that she was still wrapped around him so tightly. "Is that something I'm supposed to feel sorry for?"</p><p>"No." She repeated as she returned his laugh. "It was incredible."</p><p>"Incredible, you say?" He teased her before placing a single chaste kiss to her still panting lips. "It's hard to imagine that we could beat the last time we did it, but I think we definitely just did."</p><p>Hermione finally relaxed her legs enough that he could roll off of her, so he laid on his side next to her; slipping out of her in the process. Her head came to rest against his chest as they cuddled up naked in front of the fire.</p><p>"Do you think it will just get better and better every time we do it?" She asked naively; tilting her head so she could look him in the eye.</p><p>"Absolutely." He answered distractedly, as his hand came up to cup her breast; giving it a firm squeeze.</p><p>His eyes were now openly roaming her body; studying it as if she were a piece of fine art. Hermione moaned as his thumb flicked her already sensitive nipple; sending another jolt of pleasure between her legs. He was looking at her like he wanted to devour her all over again.</p><p>"Want to find out now?" He asked as he leaned over her; the lust clear in his eyes.</p><p>Though Hermione could easily stay naked in this very room with him for the rest of the day, she knew that she had already delayed their inevitable discussion long enough. Charlie seemed happy enough to push his worries aside to ravish her, but she knew once he found out certain things that she'd avoided telling him until now, he'd be annoyed she hadn't stopped him sooner.</p><p>Taking his hand that was currently on her breast; she sat up slightly and pressed a kiss to his thumb. "As much as I would love that, I really do have a lot of time sensitive things to tell you."</p><p>"Oh." His face paled; remembering her earlier mention that there were things that needed discussing. "I'm sorry, I-"</p><p>"It's my fault, not yours." She interrupted him. "I wanted to welcome you home properly before dumping all my problems on you."</p><p>"I mean, it was a very pleasant and surprising welcome." Charlie responded; leaning closer and looking worried. "But is everything okay? Did you not find what you were looking for on your trip?"</p><p>"No I did." She nodded, brushing her fingertips lovingly across his cheek. "And so much more to be honest...but it turns out I'm going to need your help." She cringed and bit her lip before adding the next part. "Your help specifically."</p><p>"I know we got a bit distracted that day you told me about where you came from, and that we haven't talked much about what happens when you return since." He continued. "But I promised you then that I would do whatever I could to help you and my brother. I meant that."</p><p>"Alright." She chewed on her lip in thought. "Well then we better get dressed. It's time I walked you through what happened that day."</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>After dressing in silence, Hermione and Charlie walked slowly to the door. The lack of words spoken between them wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, but the air surrounding them was thick with tension. Before he could reach for the handle, she turned to face him; placing a soft sweet kiss to his lips.</p><p>"I love you." She said, finally breaking the silence. "No matter how I ended up here or why, I want you to know I'm glad. Now that we're together I can't imagine not having you in my life like this."</p><p>The corners of his lips twitched upwards at her confession. "I love you too." He said, brushing his thumb up and down the side of her neck. "I can't even believe we weren't in your original timeline. How could I have ever met you and not been infatuated from the start."</p><p>Hermione snorted at his last comment. "Probably because I was fourteen, and at twenty-two you would have seemed a bit lecherous."</p><p>Charlie chuckled at that. "True." He said before leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.</p><p>She sighed as his lips stayed in place long after. "As much as I would love to stay in here all day with you, we should probably get a move on."</p><p>"You're probably right." He agreed as he took a step back, holding his hand out for her to take.</p><p>Hermione placed her hand in his and laced their fingers as they stepped forward together.</p><p>"So what is this place?" He asked as he twisted the handle and held the door open wide enough for them to exit side by side. "I've never seen these doors before."</p><p>"Specifically it's called the room of requirement." She answered as she waited for the doors to disappear into a flat wall again. "But it's also the room I was in when I arrived to the past."</p><p>His eyebrows raised in surprise at her answer. "Wow...okay then. So when you said you were going to walk me through it you meant literally."</p><p>"Yes, you see thanks to a dear house elf friend of Harry, Ron, and I, we discovered this room in our fifth year. With Voldemort back we needed a place to practice defending ourselves, and this room becomes anything you need it to; as long as you think really hard about it as you walk past this blank wall."</p><p>"Woah." He said looking impressed. "Wish I had known about this place earlier then."</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes as she tried to repress a grin at the implication. "Mostly, over the course of several hundred years, it has been used to hide things students and teachers didn't necessarily want anyone else to find." She continued on undeterred. "And when that is what's requested, we like to call it the room of hidden things."</p><p>"Okay." He commented while trying to follow along.</p><p>"Watch this." Hermione turned back to the wall. "I need a place to hide my book...I need a place to hide my book...I need a place to hide my book."</p><p>Another set of doors appeared in the same spot the others had faded from, only they were much taller and had different carvings. With their hands still joined together, Hermione opened the door; revealing the massive room built of items long forgotten.</p><p>"Wow." Charlie commented as he looked over the large quantity of objects people had wanted to hide over the years. "That's a lot of stuff to hide."</p><p>"You have no idea how deep this room actually goes." She said as she continued into the room. "Remember when I told you Harry, Ron and I split up to look for an artifact we knew would help us defeat Voldemort?"</p><p>Charlie flinched at the name, but didn't protest as he followed her along. "Vaguely."</p><p>"Well this was the room we were in." She revealed; glancing at the familiar stacks of junk before turning to face him again. "And it's also the room I'll need you to be in when I get back."</p><p>Charlie nodded, knowing he'd do anything she asked, but not knowing how to phrase it outloud. Something in the back of his mind told him she wasn't even close to the end of what she needed him for. "I had hoped you'd want me to be there for your arrival. After eight years without you, I know I'll want to be the first thing you see."</p><p>"You will be." She smiled; giving his hand a squeeze. "May 2nd, 1998; just after midnight."</p><p>The exact time and date of their reunion was something that Charlie had thought about often, though he tried not to. The thought of her disappearing for eight years without contact weighed heavily on his mind, try as he might to make light of the situation.</p><p>"Okay then." He took a deep breath; finally feeling a little bit of relief in knowing the far off day in the future they would be reunited. "What do you need me to do?"</p><p>"I have thought about this a lot over the past few months as I try to plan for my return. About how to get you into this room without being seen by my past self." Hermione continued. "And I think I finally know what to do."</p><p>Charlie's throat bobbed as he anticipated her next words.</p><p>"I need to leave Harry's invisibility cloak with you."</p><p>For what would not be the final time that day, Charlie's eyebrows raised high on his forehead. "I'm sorry, what?" He asked as he came to a halt in between two towering piles of junk. "That cloak you wore to my dorm before Christmas? The one from the story of the three brothers?"</p><p>"Yes." Hermione replied slowly as she stopped and turned to look at him.</p><p>Charlie paused as he pictured it in his head; thinking about what it being left with him meant. "Is that allowed?"</p><p>"Technically, no. I'm not supposed to leave anything behind." She admitted. "But it's the best option we have. You'll just have to keep it hidden, and refrain from using it unless it's an emergency."</p><p>"I can do that." He agreed. "I'm sure I'll be tempted to, but I'll behave myself. I promise."</p><p>Hermione pressed another soft kiss to his lips before turning around again. "You'll need to wear it into the castle so no one knows you've arrived yet, and wait for us to enter this room." She said as she gestured back to the door. "You'll need to follow us in until we split up, and then continue on after me. I'm the one who found the item we needed, and I'll need the backup the most."</p><p>"Okay." He commented again as he continued to take in the surroundings as they walked.</p><p>"There will be three young death eaters disillusioned in the hall as well." She continued. "We didn't know it at the time, but they were spying on us and followed us in. You have to let them, as it's why I'm here in the past. If I don't get attacked, I don't have a reason to use the time turner."</p><p>As her words sunk in, a lump formed in the back of Charlie's throat. "And if you don't use the time turner, you and I will never have met in 1989." He interrupted. "If I stop the attack, everything that we've been through together these past four months will never have happened."</p><p>Hermione nodded sadly; pressing her lips together in a straight line. "Exactly."</p><p>The pair stared at each other for a moment. There was still much to be said, but Hermione figured she'd let everything they'd discussed sink in for a minute before dropping more on him.</p><p>"I'm going to have to watch someone hurt you aren't I?"</p><p>"Do you remember hearing your dad bad mouth a man named Lucius Malfoy?" She answered his question with another question.</p><p>"Frequently, yes." He answered. "Dad always suspected he was a dark wizard. Is he the death eater who attacked you?"</p><p>"No, it was his son Draco." She shivered slightly as she re-lived his creepy assault. "He's a Slytherin in our year, but let's just say the apple didn't fall far from the tree."</p><p>"Well can I at least beat the tar out of him once you've disappeared to the past then?"</p><p>Hermione suddenly grinned, and nodded. "Have at it." She said as she held her hand out for him to take. "Come on, there's more to show you."</p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry guys, I was out of power for a few days due to a nasty ice storm. We had some tree branches fall in the back yard, but the internet is back  up and running now.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What are you looking for?"</p><p>After following her down a specific aisle, Hermione had started looking around very carefully for something in particular. She was very focused, and moving her eyes over every surface in the nearby vicinity.</p><p>"Do you know what a horcrux is?" She asked as she searched around the old cupboard that was currently empty.</p><p>He sighed as he drug his hands down his face. "You never have simple answers do you?"</p><p>"I'm a muggleborn who aligned myself with Harry Potter at the age of twelve. In my life, there is no such thing as a simple answer." She responded dryly, as she bent over to look around the crate where the bust of the warlock sat.</p><p>Charlie snorted; knowing that was probably accurate. "No. I don't imagine there is." He replied. "But no, I have no idea what a horcrux is."</p><p>"Well, that's because it's dark magic." She paused her search to explain it to him face to face. "A ritual and spellwork so vile they don't even mention it anymore, let alone teach it; because the outcome is the splitting of one's soul. The horcrux is the specific object that houses the fragment once the split has occurred."</p><p>His eyebrows raised again. "What?...Why?" He asked, looking disturbed. "Why would anyone want to split their soul?"</p><p>Hermione bit her lip. "Immortality." She explained. "Creating a horcrux ensures you cannot be truly killed. It enables you to be brought back if you die; so long as it hasn't been destroyed."</p><p>"And that's what You-Know-Who did?" He asked for clarification. "When I asked you how he returned you said there was a potion, but he made one of these horcruxes didn't he? That's why he isn't really dead right now isn't it?"</p><p>"Yes to both." She replied honestly. "Except he didn't just make one horcrux...He made six."</p><p>Charlie opened his mouth and closed it several times; attempting to find the right words. "Well, Shit." He finally settled on his favorite word. "How the hell are we supposed to find and destroy six horcruxes?"</p><p>"Actually, we are down to the final two." She clarified as she began to look around for the diadem again. "And I have a plan for both of them."</p><p>"Well okay then." He nodded. "I like the sound of that. So what do you need-"</p><p>"Ah haa!" Hermione shouted excitedly, as she finally spotted the tarnished tiara amongst a small pile of items on the floor. "There it is."</p><p>"Me for?" Charlie finished smally as he stepped closer to see what she was pointing at.</p><p>He looked down and saw several items, including a frizzy wig and a strange looking vase. At the top was an antique crown that looked vaguely familiar. He leaned over and was just about to touch it when she smacked his arm out of the way.</p><p>"Well you can't move it." Hermione scolded him. "Or Harry won't be able to find it, and use it as a distinctive marker for hiding his potions book sixth year."</p><p>Charlie raised his arms in mock surrender. "Alright. Sorry. I didn't know." His brows crinkled. "Why would Harry Potter need to hide his potions book?"</p><p>Hermione sighed deeply. "It's a very long and irrelevant story. I'll tell you later."</p><p>He had a feeling there were a lot of those. "Okay...So is this one of those horcrux things?" He asked, attempting to get back to the task at hand. "It looks oddly familiar."</p><p>"It is." She confirmed as the both stared down at it. "And that's because it's the lost diadem of Ravenclaw."</p><p>"The one Professor Binns likes to talk about every so often?"</p><p>"The very same." She nodded. "The ghost of Ravenclaw was Rowena's daughter. She stole it and hid it in Albania before she died. Voldemort sweet talked the secret out of her, and then went after it. He likes his horcruxes to have great meaning, so he turned it into one. He came back to hide it here in the sixties."</p><p>"Something tells me that story is far longer and a lot more interesting." He commented. "But I know we don't have time for that right now."</p><p>Hermione turned from staring at the diadem to look at him again instead. "When the war is over we will have the rest of our lives to relive and discuss my adventures in great detail. Including the one where we stole another horcrux out of a high security Gringotts vault, and then rode a Ukranian Ironbelly out of the tunnel system."</p><p>Charlie's jaw dropped as he glared at her. "That's not fair!" He stuttered. "You know that's the one I'd want to hear the most… Is that really where you were?"</p><p>Hermione laughed and kissed his cheek to calm him. "If you focus, I'll tell you that one as a bedtime story tonight?"</p><p>Though conflicted about being told that story would have to wait, he grinned provocatively. "Does that mean you'll be in my bed again?"</p><p>She chuckled teasingly. "We'll see."</p><p>She had spent every night since he'd left sleeping in his bed, with the exception of the night in the hospital wing, and had no intention of going back to her own. Like the night before he left, she already planned on waiting until the other girls were asleep before using the cloak to sneak into his dorm again.</p><p>"Now focus." She reminded him with a gentle pat on the cheek. "I'll tell you just the basic version of each horcrux for now."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>"Second year, there was a weird diary, Harry destroyed it." She said matter-of-factly. "He then gave it to Dumbledore, who realized that it was actually a horcrux. However, he didn't let us in on the secret until sixth year. That's one down."</p><p>"And that will happen in 1993, right? He asked.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"So just over three years from now." He committed that information to memory.</p><p>"After that, Dumbledore, who taught You-Know-Who and knew about his childhood, decided to search for others. After discovering from a previous professor that Voldemort asked if it was possible to split a soul into seven pieces, he was positive that there were more." She continued. "Voldemort is also a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, which yes, is very important." She added before he could interrupt with a question. "Dumbledore then went to the childhood home of Voldemort's mother, where he discovered an old antique ring; a Slytherin family heirloom. He brought it back to Hogwarts and destroyed it. That's horcrux number two."</p><p>"So in 1996 there are four left, but Voldemort is back so we are at war." Charlie was walking himself through it mentally. "Does he know what you are up to?"</p><p>"I'm getting there." She reminded him, trying not to let him get ahead in the story. "So sixth year, Harry needed to hide his potions book, and moved the diadem onto that warlock bust over there so he could come back and find it later." She pointed at each object mentioned. "At that time, he didn't realize what it was. Like your brother, Harry never paid enough attention in History of Magic, and therefore didn't recognize it."</p><p>"That sounds about right." Charlie commented, a little confused, but figuring it would make sense soon.</p><p>"A few months later, not knowing about the diadem yet, we skipped seventh year to go in search of the other four. There was a locket that caused us quite a few problems, but we eventually found a way to destroy it, and then most recently was a cup from Hufflepuff. That's the one we stole from Gringotts." She continued to explain. "I destroyed that one myself, but after that all we knew was that the other two horcruxes likely had to do with ether Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, and probably his pet snake Nagini."</p><p>"Are you with me so far?" She asked.</p><p>"Yeah, I think so." Charlie nodded as he pointed down to the diadem again. "So this is the item from Ravenclaw then, right?"</p><p>"Definitely." She confirmed. "Our friend Luna heard we were looking for something of significance related to her house, and she mentioned it was likely the lost diadem. When she showed Harry what it looked like, he remembered seeing it in here the year before."</p><p>"That's a handy coincidence if I ever heard of one."</p><p>"Almost unbelievable if I'm being honest." She agreed before continuing to explain things to him. "Anyway, since Voldemort's return, Harry has noticed some odd side effects."</p><p>Charlie's eyebrows wrinkled. "What kind of side effects."</p><p>"Their minds are linked, and they have been able to see into each other's lives at times. Especially when one of them is angry or emotional. Due to this strange connection, we know he finally realized what we were up to. That's why we were in Hogwarts the night I arrived here. It was a race to see who could get to the diadem first." Hermione continued. "Which is where you come in."</p><p>"Oh, are we finally to the part you need me for?" He grinned teasingly.</p><p>"Yes." She confirmed with a scoff. "Follow me this way please."</p><p>Leaving the diadem in place, Hermione dragged him further down the aisle of junk to the fork in the road. She then pulled him to the right, where Draco had tripped her and broken her wand.</p><p>"This is the location where things started to go downhill for me." She said as she glanced at the broomstick she'd struck Malfoy with. "I was able to grab the diadem and run, but Malfoy was faster than I was. This is where he caught up to me."</p><p>"So this is where you were when you found the time turner?" He asked looking around for it.</p><p>"No. This is just where I was when he broke my wand. He used a tripping jinx and it flew out of my hand." Her heart still hurt at the memory of it snapping in two. "When he demanded I hand the diadem over to him I threw it over there so I could get away again."</p><p>Hermione gestured to a pile behind him and to their right.</p><p>"I hoped he'd go after it so I could run off and find Harry, but he was much more interested in pursuing me." She continued. "I ran off as fast as I could, and I'm pretty sure the diadem was left wherever it landed; as he didn't have it on him when he caught up to me against the back wall."</p><p>Her hand changed position to point to the opposite side of the large and mysterious room.</p><p>"So you'll need me to follow you while still under the cloak, and retrieve the diadem once it's thrown?" He asked; figuring out the rest of the plan.</p><p>"That was my thought, yes." She nodded. "But as soon as you have it you'll need to follow Malfoy again; to the end of this aisle. It's a dead end that I'd hoped would lead me to Harry or Ron eventually, but it led me to you instead."</p><p>The pair grinned at one another at those words, and Charlie leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.</p><p>"And when you get back to me, we can destroy it together." He said. "And that will only leave one."</p><p>"Yes. Together." She agreed.</p><p>"And you are sure it's the snake, and not a random antique from Gryffindor?" He asked for clarification.</p><p>"Positive." She confirmed, now more sure than ever. "Voldemort only realized we knew about his horcruxes for a few hours before I ended up here. According to Harry's strange connection, he became extra protective of Nagini since discovering our secret mission. It practically proves that she really is the final one."</p><p>"So then we know what all of them are." He said excitedly; now understanding more of the story. "And all we have to do now is destroy the last two, and he'll be mortal again."</p><p>"Precisely." She confirmed. "But while the diadem is easy enough, the snake isn't. She's extremely dangerous, and lethal. Your dad got bit by her a few years ago, and was in St. Mungo's for almost a month. Getting close enough to destroy her was already going to be hard enough, but now that he knows we mean to kill her, he isn't letting her out of his sight."</p><p>"So what can we do to change that?" He asked, attempting to come up with a plan. "Can we not team up with Dumbledore? Have him and Harry hold Voldemort off, while me, you, and Ron go after the snake?"</p><p>Hermione instantly cringed and closed her eyes at the mention of their headmaster. It was a topic she had been thinking about a lot recently, and had hoped that she wouldn't have to reveal that particular person's fate to him.</p><p>"Oh...um." She faltered. "Charlie...about Dumbledore. He isn't really in a position to help us."</p><p>"What do you mean?" He asked looking her over carefully. "Why not?"</p><p>When she faltered again, her lip trembling, Charlie seemed to get the picture. It was still upetting for her, and she couldn't muster up enough courage to hide the severity of it.</p><p>"No." His eyes hardened at the implication. "No. No. No. Don't tell me what I think you're about to say."</p><p>"I'm sorry, but it's true." She grimaced, and her eyes started to water at the memory. "At the end of our sixth year, the freshly inducted Draco Malfoy found a way to get his fellow Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Dumbledore was caught off guard and disarmed. He was hit with the killing curse, and knocked off the astronomy tower."</p><p>She omitted the fact that Snape was the death eater who had killed him; partly because she was worried Charlie would try and do something about it, and a little bit because she was starting to wonder if there was more to that part of the story. Something she wasn't aware of yet. Dumbledore must have had proof that Snape was on their side, or he wouldn't be so adamant about his loyalty.</p><p>Charlie turned away from her and cupped one hand to his forehead as the truth sank in.</p><p>"Fuck….Shit." He muttered various curse words under his breath. "I thought you said the deaths had been minimal of people we knew? I thought we were close to defeating that monster for good?"</p><p>"They have been...and we are." She claimed as she watched him nervously.</p><p>"Well, fuck!" He practically yelled. "How could you have not told me about this sooner?"</p><p>Hermione had never seen him look so frightened, but she could understand why. She'd been in the same mindset the entire summer after he'd been killed after all.</p><p>She sighed and wiped the tear from the corner of her eye. "Because I wasn't planning on telling you at all. We can't change the past."</p><p>"It might be in your past, but it sure as hell isn't in mine!" He retorted angrily, turning toward her again. "This is one thing I'm not sure I can look past and allow to happen without a fight."</p><p>"I know it's hard. I understand." She approached him slowly in an attempt to calm him. "I already tried to drop him a hint myself, but he brushed it off."</p><p>Hermione placed her hands comfortingly on his shoulders. She knew he was scared for the future and that he had every right to be. Not only that, but he was going to have to face all of this alone once she was gone. It was a lot for any one person to handle.</p><p>"How in the hell are we supposed to win without Albus Dumbledore?" He finally asked after a long silence.</p><p>"Lucky for you, and everyone else, that's what I've been working on. Since finding out I was going to be stuck in the past awhile, I've done a lot of research." She revealed. "And I finally know what needs to be done."</p><p>"Is that what your dangerous trip was about then?" He asked hopefully, finally having enough information to make assumptions.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Where were you?" He asked dryly. It was clear his good mood was gone, and all he wanted now was to find out the rest of the plan.</p><p>"A snake infested island off the coast of Brazil." She answered. "The final resting place of Salazar Slytherin."</p><p>His eyebrows raised slightly, but he pushed them back down. "How in the hell did you find out about a place like that?"</p><p>"An old book in the restricted section, along with the passage about Maledictus that was in the book I gave you for your birthday. They both referenced vipers in Brazil, and I figured it was worth a shot. Now I'm almost positive that Nagini is actually a cursed witch instead of a true snake."</p><p>"Bloody Hell." He muttered in response sounding exactly like his younger brother. "How did you come to that conclusion."</p><p>"By finding Slytherin's hideout and taking all of his journals. He wrote about a similar bond he shared with a Maledictus in his own time. Their relationship mimicked what Voldemort and Nagini share now."</p><p>Charlie flinched at the name, this time having had enough. "Can you please stop saying that name?" He complained; once again showing the family resemblance. "Just use You-Know-Who would you?"</p><p>"Fine." Hermione agreed moodily. "Anyway, I found evidence that You-Know-Who had found the hideout as well, and spent a good portion of time there. I'm pretty sure that is where he met Nagini and they formed their own creepy bond soon after. She is extremely loyal to him, like no other familiar I have ever witnessed before."</p><p>"Does her being a Maledictus make her harder to kill?"</p><p>"Until now, yes." She replied. "But as of a few hours ago, no."</p><p>His mood seemed to lift a little. "You found something?"</p><p>"Slytherin's last journal mentioned a protective amulet. One that protects the wearer from any dark creature. Maledictus included." She explained her discovery. "I found a book on forging in the restricted section a few months ago, but didn't realize its significance at the time. The instructions on how to make them are in there."</p><p>"So we can make a few; for us, Harry, and Ron. That should allow us all to get close enough to kill her without getting harmed in the process." Charlie figured out the rest of the plan, a gleam of hope returning to his eyes.</p><p>"Pretty much, except I was -" Hermione was cut off as another realization dawned on Charlie.</p><p>"Wait a minute!" He exclaimed, looking flustered again. "Does that mean that your dangerous trip to that island full of snakes was for nothing then? You risked your life, and had me worried sick, when you had the answer the whole time?"</p><p>Hermione paused; wide eyed. Though she knew he wasn't angry with her, he was clearly frustrated by the situation. Her revealing so much to him at once was bound to be overwhelming, which is why she had deliberately spread out her entire life story out over the course of several months.</p><p>"Well, not necessarily." She defended herself. "Without those journals I don't think I would have realized that Nagini was a dark creature, and not just a rather vicious snake. We always thought she was just a normal animal companion. Even if I had come across the page with the protective amulet before I left, I'm not sure I would have understood it's significance in our mission to destroy her."</p><p>That seemed to cool his temper again, but only just. He still looked on edge as he thought over what she said. It didn't take long before he glared at her again.</p><p>"Take off your shirt." He suddenly demanded; his tone firm, but not angry.</p><p>"What?" She backed up a step; away from him. "Why?"</p><p>"I want to see something." He said as he followed her. "Something I ignored earlier while we were shagging."</p><p>Hermione tried to back up more, but he was too fast; following her until he had her cornered against an old wardrobe. His fingers tugged at the collar of her jumper, as if he was trying to get a good look at her shoulder. The one that first snake had bit into after falling from the ceiling fixture.</p><p>"It's nothing." She claimed as she tried to shrug him off of her. "I'm fine. There was no lasting damage."</p><p>This seemed to spur him on even more. "So you did get bit then?" He looked at her scoldingly; as he held her in place with one hand and finally pushed her shirt down away her shoulder with the other. "Fucking hell Hermione, why didn't you tell me earlier?"</p><p>His eyes traced over the two small marks that were left. Over the past two weeks they had faded to a pale pink, but they were raised enough against her pale skin that they were easily noticeable if you were looking for them.</p><p>"Because I really am fine and there were a lot more important things to tell you." She claimed; never one to fret over her own well-being when others were still at stake.</p><p>"Was this the only one?" He asked; his tone still demanding, but still not angry.</p><p>Hermione scowled, but shook her head. "No."</p><p>Slowly, she lifted the sleeve of her left arm; revealing her <em>mudblood</em> scar to him again. With her pointer and middle fingers she pointed to the other small scars between the lettering.</p><p>Charlie sighed and leaned down to place a kiss to the marred flesh. "Any more?" He asked calmly.</p><p>"No." She replied honestly; feeling him relax a little at that answer. "Just the two deadly snake bites." She added sarcastically.</p><p>"Fucking hell you barmy witch." He whispered before kissing her soundly on the lips again. "You are going to give me a heart attack one of these days."</p><p>Hermione kissed him back, relaxing now that his temper had subsided. She ran her fingers up and down his back to continue to soothe him into an even calmer state.</p><p>"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to hide it. There was just so much to say and I figured telling you in chronological order would be easiest." She defended her reasons for keeping it from him until then.</p><p>He paused to snort before kissing her deeply again, his arms wrapping themselves around her waist. "Is there more I need to know, or do we have time for another good snogging session?" He grinned as his fingers brushed over the exposed flesh of her shoulder.</p><p>Hermione groaned as he nipped a sensitive spot along her pulse point. "Unfortunately there is more."</p><p>He sighed and took a deep breath before pulling back to look her in the eye again. "Fine, okay. But then you owe me my dragon story." He pouted in a way that let her know he was both joking and completely serious at the same time.</p><p>She shook her head as her own way of laughing at him, a small smile gracing her lips. "Actually part of what I need to say has to do with dragons."</p><p>"What do you mean?" He asked curiously.</p><p>"I don't think I actually ended up in the past by accident anymore. I think I was suppose to be here." She said incredulously. "I think I was supposed to meet you."</p><p>"Hermione..." He paused in thought. "You aren't making sense."</p><p>She paused as they stared at each other. She knew how weird she must sound.</p><p>"The final step in forging the amulets is casting them in dragon fire." She explained herself. "A dragon's first fire, specifically. Who else would have access to something so rare, other than an experienced dragonologist?"</p><p>'Oh." He muttered under his breath as he connected the dots.</p><p>"I can help you with most of it before I leave." She continued. "But you are the only person I have ever met who can complete them."</p><p>"Yeah." Charlie scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. "Yeah I guess I am."</p><p>Hermione smoothed one hand up and down his back in a comforting manner. She had dropped a lot of life changing information on him today.</p><p>"We'll need to start soon, as there are a lot of ingredients to gather." She spoke softly. "Some of them are hard to come by too. I'm going to request a meeting with Dumbledore. We'll need his help with a few of them, and he'll also need to know what your part is going to be in all of this."</p><p>"So he knows about the war too then?"</p><p>"Yes, after seeing the state I was in when I arrived here, and what year I came from, he figured it out almost immediately." She explained. "You'll likely need to be in contact with him after I leave."</p><p>"Yeah, that make sense." He nodded, although it looked like he was still trying to make sense of things. "What's first?"</p><p>"A segment of wood from a wiggentree." She answered.</p><p>"Like the ones Professor Sprout just procured this year?" He asked suspiciously.</p><p>"Exactly like those." Hermione confirmed. "They do protect you from dark creatures whilst touching them after all."</p><p>"That's right."</p><p>"I figured we'd get Dumbledore's permission to steal one of them and make as many amulets as we can from it." She continued on undeterred. "The castle and grounds were swarming with dark magical creatures when I left, and its my hope that we can pass as many as possible around once I get back; to your family, friends, and anyone else fighting beside us."</p><p>"Okay." He agreed, looking hopeful now that there was a plausible way to protect his family. "I'm definitely in."</p><p>xxxxxxxxx</p><p>After discussing the rest of the amulet ingredients and coming up with a timeline to present to Dumbledore, Hermione had taken his hand to lead him further down the aisle; until at last they reached the dead end. The wall was in sight, but she stopped several feet away, in the exact spot she'd been tripped at. On the same bit of stone flooring where her time turner had shattered mid travel; leaving her almost nine years in the past, instead of the ten minutes she'd planned.</p><p>"This is where it happened." She said; breaking the comfortable silence that had grown between them. "I had hoped that my path would lead me to Harry, who was only one aisle over that way." She gestured to the right. "But when I realized it was a dead end, I knew I needed to find some way to defend myself... so I could make it back to Harry and Ron. I knew my only chance was to get to someone with a wand."</p><p>"Makes sense." Charlie commented.</p><p>"After looking around with no luck, I finally spotted the time turner on that desk over there." She gestured to it. "But it was too late. Malfoy found me before I could reach it. He pulled my hair and cornered me against the desk, while insinuating crude things he'd like to teach me."</p><p>Charlie's eyes darkened, while Hermione looked down at her feet. When she had talked about being attacked earlier, that wasn't what he pictured.</p><p>"Did he?" He cleared his throat with a small cough before pressing on. "Did he try to sexually assault you?"</p><p>"I, um,..." Hermione faltered too as she thought about what would have happened if she hadn't successfully defended herself. "I think that is where he was headed, but I didn't give him the chance. I kind of kneed him as hard as I could in the testicles before running away with the time turner."</p><p>Charlie grit his teeth as she spoke; pissed at the beginning of her admission. But when she continued on to tell him how she'd gotten away, he ended up snorting at the end. "Fuck me, I thought I was going to have to either watch you get assaulted, or lose you forever by stopping it myself...but you really can handle yourself."</p><p>Hermione laughed as his usually grin resurfaced, and he muttered how much he liked feisty women under his breath. He admired how she didn't even have a wand at the time, and still managed to evade the slimy ferret.</p><p>"I like to think I can, except he hit me with a tripping jinx." She continued on with her tale. "I had meant to only go back in time a few minutes, but the time turner broke and I ended up on the first day of term 1989 instead."</p><p>"Where you met me?" He asked rhetorically with a smirk.</p><p>"Where I met you." She confirmed with a snort.</p><p>Charlie leaned in to place a single kiss to her cheek; letting her know how happy he was about that fact.</p><p>"Then this is where I will be then." He spoke against her ear. "On May 2nd, 1998. Just after midnight. This is where I'll be, wand in hand."</p><p>"Ready to fight?" She asked; reminding him that even though it would be a great reunion for him, there would still be a battle to be won.</p><p>"Ready to fight." He agreed. "I'll get the diadem and meet you here; still under the cloak. And when the time turner takes you to the past, I'll beat the ever loving fire out of Draco Malfoy until you," He tapped his finger against the tip of her nose. "Come back to me."</p><p>Hermione smiled softly and kissed the pad of his finger. As much as she didn't want to leave him alone in the past, she was very much looking forward to spending their lives together without the threat of war once she returned.</p><p>"And then we'll be together?" She asked.</p><p>"And then we'll be together." He grinned. "But I should probably warn you that I'm going to be ridiculously horny."</p><p>Hermione glared at him before smacking his chest with the back of her hand. Hard. He had ruined the moment with crudeness.</p><p>"What?" He feigned innocence as he laughed. "I'm going to have gone eight years without sex, you don't think I'm going to be-"</p><p>Hermione cut him off with a kiss, pushing him toward the same desk she'd been assaulted on four months ago; wanting a better memory to replace the bad one with. She knew he was planning on waiting for her, but she hadn't expected him to be abstinent. Surely he'd be tempted to have the occasional one night stand to keep the loneliness away.</p><p>"I love you, you ridiculous man." She shook her head at him before clashing their lips back together.</p><p>Gad that there was finally time for another good round of snogging, Charlie's hands came up to hold her against him; One on her neck, once on her hip. She was practically in his lap as he came to lean against the desk; not caring that the edge was now digging into his lower back.</p><p>"Though I don't really expect you-"</p><p>Hermione suddenly cut herself off as she noticed something off with the contents behind where Charlie's backside was currently leaning against. Instead of staying wrapped around him in an embrace, she slid down so her feet were back on the floor and moved around him to verify what she already knew.</p><p>"That's odd." She said slowly; clearly confused and bewildered by the look on her face.</p><p>"What? What is it?" Charlie asked as he turned to follow her gaze.</p><p>"The time turner." Hermione tapped the top of the large book sitting on the desk several times with her finger. She glanced at the spot for a few seconds before looking up at him again.. "It isn't here yet."</p>
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<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry, I thought I had finished uploading all of the chapters I have written so far. Here is one more.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few days later, Hermione and Charlie made their way up to the seventh floor; where the gargoyle that guarded the headmasters office resided. The password of 'caramel cobwebs' slipped easily from her lips as they approached; having used it several times that year already.</p><p>As expected, Hermione and Charlie had finished the evening of his return off in his four-poster bed in the boys dormitory. She had told him all about what happened at Gringotts Bank and how her, Harry, and Ron had escaped on the back of a Ukrainian Ironbelly. Charlie had hung onto her every word; both enthralled by her tale and thoroughly impressed by the bravery she showed.</p><p>What started off as a serious conversation about the horcrux hunt had eventually turned heated again as his fingers found their way into her knickers; where he proceeded to keep her warm on the frosty winter night. Though it had been weeks since she'd slept that well, she ended up forcing herself to go back to her own dorm just before dawn in order to avoid getting caught by their classmates.</p><p>The next morning she had been greeted by the warm smiling faces of the other girls, and a knowing smirk from Sarah. When asked about her Christmas, she'd made an excuse about her parents having to travel for her father's business, and her desire to study peacefully for her N.E.W.T.S anyway. As it had been hard to hide her old habits the previous semester, the five girls accepted her fib without question.</p><p>During breakfast the next morning, she penned a letter to Dumbledore while tucked under Charlie's arm. He stroked her shoulder absentmindedly with his hand while deep in conversation with Devon who was across the table from them. No one seemed surprised by their simple display of affection for one another, so she continued undeterred in her request for a meeting with the headmaster.</p><p>Luckily, his response came quickly, and he requested her presence in his office that Wednesday evening. Hermione made sure she had The Art of Forging in her bag, along with Slytherin's last journal and the invisibility cloak. Though she was excited to finally have a fully formed plan for her return, she couldn't help the nervousness that came along with it.</p><p>Just after dinner, the pair made an excuse to their friends about spending some more time alone together and headed upstairs. She hoped Charlie's presence wouldn't cause Dumbledore any alarm, but they needed his help in securing the rest of the ingredients for the amulets. This was truly something she couldn't accomplish without the both of them.</p><p>"Oh good, you're here." Dumbledore went to greet her, before noticing the companion she had brought along. His eyes narrowed, as if for once he was not sure of the situation she was throwing at him. "And you've brought mister Weasley as well."</p><p>"Yes, I have." Hermione spoke firmly and with determination. "Do you remember the day you introduced me to Mr. Harper? The day you asked me if Voldemort had returned?... You told me that it was important for me to prepare for my return to the future. You said that I had an unordinary amount of time for battle preparation. Time most people don't normally get when they are in the middle of a war."</p><p>"Yes, I remember." He replied calmly.</p><p>"Well I've done that." She informed him; her hand ducking into her bag to pull the book on forging out of it. "I finally know what needs to be done so we win the war, but it's not something I can do alone."</p><p>Hermione spun the dial to unlock the metal pages before laying the book down on the center of Dumbledore's desk. The weight of it caused a thudding noise; regardless of how gentle she tried to set it down.</p><p>"You see, Voldemort in recent years has acquired a rather peculiar companion; a maledictus in the form of a violent snake he calls Nagini. He has taken to keeping her rather close, making it difficult for Harry to get close enough to him." She explained as he looked the page over; leaving out the existence of horcruxes altogether. "If Harry is ever going to defeat him, we will need to be able to get past her without getting bit in the process."</p><p>"Oh, yes. A protective amulet." Dumbledore commented as he dragged his finger down the list of ingredients. "One that specifically makes you untouchable in regards to dark creatures. I understand now why you came to me. Several of these items are extremely hard to come by...Especially for that last step. Perhaps I can ask my old friend Newt-"</p><p>"Well, that's actually why I brought Charlie along." Hermione interrupted his train of thought to fill him in on the plan. "As I told you a few months ago, his brother Ron is one of my best friends. When we were first years he would always tell me stories of his two older brothers who had already left Hogwarts: one a curse breaker for Gringotts, and the other a dragonologist in Romania."</p><p>Dumbledore looked up from the book to flicker his eyes between the two of them. "I see." He replied thoughtfully. "Have you already applied to the RDS?"</p><p>"Not quite." Charlie shook his head respectfully. "Amos Diggory at the DRCMC wrote me a letter of recommendation over Christmas, and Professor Kettleburn agreed to write the second one. He said it would be ready on Friday, and I planned to send everything along with my application out this weekend."</p><p>"Good. The Romanian reserve doesn't tend to take very many recruits from outside countries. You will need to get a head start if you want a real chance at joining them." Dumbledore informed them. "I have a few connections that might help your chances, so send what you have to me first and I will get your application into the right hands."</p><p>"Yes, of course." Charlie nodded in understanding. "Thank you sir."</p><p>Dumbledore turned back to Hermione. "So if it's not the last step you need my help with, what is?"</p><p>She stepped closer toward the desk and used her pointer finger to motion toward the first item on the list. "As you can see, the first thing we need is a wiggentree. I know Professor Sprout procured some for herbology this year, so I was hoping you could talk her into giving us one. Each piece only needs to be a centimeter or so thick, so if we wait another month for them to mature a bit we could probably make at least four or five dozen out of a single tree."</p><p>The Headmaster raised one eyebrow at her curiously. "You wish to make enough for an army then?"</p><p>"Yes." Hermione answered him. "I plan on making as many amulets as possible to help people on our side survive. Voldemort has a band of dark creatures at his disposal, and I have the opportunity to protect those I care about from dying at their hands. Upon my return, I plan on handing as many of these amulets out as I can."</p><p>Dumbledore gave her a single reassuring nod. "I am sure I can talk her into donating a single tree to me without much of a fuss. What else?"</p><p>"Well the next three can all be acquired from the forbidden forest, though I wouldn't say easily."</p><p>His long finger traced over the next set of steps as he read aloud. "A braid made from a single strand of each of the following; hair of unicorn, hair of centaur, and hair of thestral."</p><p>He turned to her curiously. "Well, from what I hear, the unicorn hair won't be difficult for Mr. Weasley at least, but centaurs are very private and do not involve themselves with humans or our worldly problems. I do not see them giving up several strands of their hair willingly." He spoke thoughtfully. "And as for the thestral hair, only one who has seen, and is capable of facing death themselves can procure it."</p><p>Hermione glanced nervously at Charlie before grimacing. "It will be me who will have to get those then. I am not unfamiliar with either of those requirements."</p><p>Dumbledore nodded in understanding again. "Then you can leave the centaur hair up to me. I don't want the pair of you getting in over your heads by causing a big stir with the herd. I have ways of handling them."</p><p>Internally, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief; the incident with Umbridge in the forest still fresh in her mind. That was the ingredient she had been least looking forward to getting.</p><p>The headmaster read on; pausing as his long, slender finger traced the line second to the bottom of the page. "It looks like each amulet will need to have this rune etched onto the face of it." He said. "It must be carved by the fang of a vampire, that has been dipped in the blood of a werewolf."</p><p>"I remember reading that part as well. I believe the fang might be found in Professor Snape's private store room, but the werewolf blood might be a little trickier."</p><p>Dumbledore regarded her facial expression carefully. "It seems as though you might have an idea for that as well." It was a statement, not a question.</p><p>Hermione cringed again, but nodded. "Remus Lupin. He teaches here my third year." She revealed; not wanting to waste time by avoiding facts from the future. "He is very loyal to you, and I bet he would allow you to take some if you said it was for a good cause."</p><p>"If that is true, then it seems we know where to get everything." Dumbledore talked through his thoughts. "Except for how you expect to get the completed amulets once you've returned; as it seems Mr. Weasley and I will have to finish them between now and then."</p><p>Hermione and Charlie glanced nervously at each other again before she reached into her bag to pull the cloak out. The silvery material shined reflectively in the candlelight as she held it up. "I'm going to leave this in Charlie's possession, that way he can follow my past self, take out my attacker, and await my return."</p><p>For once in all the time she had known him, Dumbledore looked completely shocked; his hand trailing over the mysterious fabric he was all too familiar with. After only a moment's delay, he abruptly turned around to the cabinet on the center wall and pulled the doors open.</p><p>When he returned to the desk, he laid an identical object down next to the cloak Hermione had just pulled from her bag. And while she had been expecting it, by the look on his face, Charlie clearly had not.</p><p>"I borrowed this from James Potter before his death eight years ago." Dumbledore informed them; though they both already knew. "I of course planned on returning it to the family once Harry is old enough. I'm guessing, since you said he is your best friend, that he left it in your care shortly before your accidental trip here."</p><p>"There is an undetectable extension charm on my bag. I've been carrying all of Harry and Ron's things at all times since we had to go on the run." She explained further. "We were never meant to be separated for more than a few minutes."</p><p>"Then you know this cloak is one of a kind." The headmaster commented. "Which makes having two of them side by side a rather odd occurance indeed."</p><p>Hermione took the cloak from the future back off the desk and held it close. It really was strange to have both a past and a future version of it in one place. She felt eerily uncomfortable at the thought of them getting switched by accident.</p><p>"So Miss Granger..." Dumbledore egged her to continue. "What is the plan?"</p><p>"Well, while you are busy getting us a wiggentree and the centaur hair, Charlie and I will work on getting the unicorn and thestral hairs. After that, between now and when I leave on May 2nd, we will cut the segments of wood, and make the braids for the general form of the amulets."</p><p>"And what of after?" He asked for clarification.</p><p>Hermione took a deep breath, still hating the idea of giving away too much information about the future. "Charlie is going to be bringing a few dragons to Hogwarts for a special project in the fall of 1994." She explained. "If you can get the vampire fang, and the werewolf blood from Professor Lupin before that, it will be the perfect time for you to pass those last two ingredients off to him."</p><p>"I take it that will be the conclusion of my part in this process." He insinuated.</p><p>"Correct. Once Charlie is back in Romania he can etch the runes, and cast the amulets in dragon fire. It will be more or less a waiting game after that." She finished. "And he'll bring the finished products with him when he meets me for my return to the future."</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>After their meeting concluded, Charlie ended up maneuvering them toward the prefect's bathroom instead of back to Gryffindor tower; where he proceeded to show her some of his other hidden talents. Ones that specifically had to do with the wicked things he could accomplish with his tongue. With only her legs still dangling in the water, her back rested against the stone flooring, with his hands planted firmly on either side of her hips.</p><p>When they were both completely satisfied, they sank back into the warmth of the water; where Hermione sat between Charlie's legs, leaning her back against his toned chest. His arms came to cradle her body against his as he placed a soft kiss to the side of her head.</p><p>They both seemed to sigh in content as they enjoyed their time alone together. Charlie's thumb slowly rubbed a pattern to the left of her bellybutton, while Hermione did the same to the crook of his elbow.</p><p>"So…" He finally spoke up, without adding anything else.</p><p>Hermione tilted her head to look up at him. "Yes?"</p><p>He let out another sigh, only this time it sounded more stressed than contented. "I don't get to see my family much do I? I mean if you spend a lot of holidays with them, and we've only met twice, that means I'm not around very often am I?"</p><p>"No, I am afraid you aren't." Hermione responded apologetically.</p><p>He hummed disappointedly. "Things really are about to change then, aren't they?</p><p>"Yes." She answered honestly. "They are."</p><p>He grunted again. "Can you tell me about it then? The times you know when I get to see them. Maybe it will make me miss them less if I know when the next visit is."</p><p>"I'm not really supposed to." She warned him, but the look on his face made her change her mind about keeping what she remembered a secret. It was likely now that he had fallen in love with her that he would try harder to make it back more often if he didn't know when he was allowed to. "But it might be better if you know anyway."</p><p>Charlie's hands pushed against her sides so he could turn her around to face him. He was able to lift her easily, and her legs swung over his in order to straddle his thighs. Hermione placed a reassuring kiss to his lips and rested her arms flat against his shoulders; her thumbs stroking a new pattern against either side of his neck.</p><p>"I'm not really sure about between now and Christmas of 1991, as Ron and I didn't become friends until Halloween of that year. but I do remember Ron, the twins, and Percy had to stay here at Hogwarts during the holiday break that year. Apparently, because your mum, dad, and Ginny were going to Romania to visit you."</p><p>"That sounds a little depressing for everyone else." He commented. "But I'm sure I'll be excited to show Ginny all my favorite dragons by then."</p><p>"I'm sure it will be a good visit for the both of you." She smiled. "But I should probably warn you about Ginny and her magical talents before you one day have to experience one of her special hexes first hand."</p><p>"Hey, I'm her favorite! I doubt she would ever hex me." He claimed defensively. "But what is it? What is her specialty?"</p><p>"She casts the most intense bat-bogey hex anyone at Hogwarts has ever seen."</p><p>Charlie snorted first, before doubling over with laughter; trying to picture his sweet baby sister casting something so atrocious at anyone other than his younger brothers. "Yeah, okay. I'll watch out."</p><p>"She is going to make you proud though." Hermione continued to rub her thumbs against his skin. "Clever, driven; a real force to be reckoned with. She's funny, and bloody brilliant at quidditch."</p><p>He seemed to perk up at that information. "Yeah, we Weasley's tend to enjoy flying. If it weren't for Percy we probably would have formed our own quidditch team by now." He joked. "So what other visits do you remember hearing about."</p><p>Hermione had to think back to the early years; he already knew about Norberta being sent to him via some friends, and she couldn't remember anything from second year; though she had been petrified for part of that. "Well there was the summer between my second and third year. Your dad won the Daily Prophet's yearly galleon prize draw and took the whole family to Egypt. That was actually the first time I saw your picture, as there was a family group photo published in the prophet detailing what he had done with the money."</p><p>"And did thirteen year old Hermione find me devilishly handsome in this picture?" He teased her.</p><p>"I might have, except that you were toward the back and I couldn't really make out your nice muscles." She teased back with a grin.</p><p>He pinched her on the sides, causing her to squeal and try to scoot away from him. Charlie's arms locked around her back to stop her escape plan, and he pulled her in close again.</p><p>Hermione relaxed again, feeling confident he wasn't about to try and tickle her anymore. "Anyway, the summer after that will be the Quidditch World Cup which Harry and I attend with your family. I met you there at the burrow a few days beforehand. Everyone but your mum goes to the game and spends the night in a tent, and a few days later you help send us off on the train for my fourth year."</p><p>"That reminds me." He suddenly spoke up. "You mentioned earlier that I will be at Hogwarts with some dragons that year for a special project. What exactly is the project?"</p><p>Hermione tried not to smirk as she replied with something she knew he would hate. "Do you remember the stories about the Triwizard Tournaments from History of Magic?"</p><p>Charlie released a groan and shifted uncomfortably against the wall of the pool-like tub. "Do you always have to answer my questions with another question?"</p><p>"Usually."</p><p>He scoffed at her. "Fine...but yes I know what the Triwizard Tournaments are."</p><p>"Well the ministry decides to bring it back that year." She informed him. "The first task was that the champions from each school had to procure a golden egg from a nesting dragon. You are a part of the team that brings them over from Romania."</p><p>"So I'll need the cloak to make a visit to Dumbledore while I'm here for that. That way I can get the vampire tooth and werewolf blood from him."</p><p>"Exactly. Although you will get to see the twins, Ron, and Ginny while you are here as well." She added to try and cheer him up.</p><p>"While I am glad to hear that, I have a feeling I'm going to be disappointed in not getting to see you as well."</p><p>"I know." She commented apologetically again. "But we need to par the course."</p><p>"No deviating from the plan." He agreed with a twitch of his lips. "I guess I'll just have to wait for Bill's wedding to see you again after that."</p><p>"Oh!" Hermione suddenly remembered something that would get him excited again. "Speaking of both the Triwizard Tournament and Bill. His future bride is actually the champion from Beauxbatons!"</p><p>"Ahhha." His eyes gleamed with mischief; making her regret telling him instantly. "Some pretty French girl huh?"</p><p>"You can't tell him." She warned him by poking her pointer finger hard into his chest with each word."</p><p>"Oh I won't" He used his own finger to cross his heart. "But this does give me lots of great ammo to make digs at him between now and then. Especially because I will get to see her first!"</p><p>"Well she's also half veela, so maybe try not to get too close before he does, or she might set her sights on you instead." She scolded him. "And although I might be grateful to her for healing me up after I got tortured, I would still gladly hex her if she attempts to get her claws into you."</p><p>Charlie's eyebrows raised comically high on his forehead as he raised his hands in mock surrender. She was a bit scary at the moment, yet he also felt flattered at the idea of her fighting another woman over him.</p><p>"Noted." He responded as she turned to relax next to him instead of straddling him. She ended up humming contentedly again as they settled into another comfortable silence.</p><p>After a short time where neither of them said anything at all, Charlie finally spoke up again. "Speaking of Bill, I meant to ask you earlier, but he doesn't happen to have an earring in the future does he?"</p><p>Hermione narrowed her eyes, trying to picture a younger Bill who didn't have the ponytail or the fang in his ear yet. "What makes you ask?"</p><p>"He was talking about getting one soon, and I bet him five galleons he'd be too chicken shit to go through with it." He laughed at his own dig at his brother. "Not on account of the pain from getting the piercing itself you know, but because of what mum will do to him when she finds out."</p><p>Hermione snorted at his inevitable misfortune. "I hate to tell you, but you better start saving your galleons."</p><p>"Shit."</p>
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<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Before they knew it, another week had gone by. Their days had been filled with intense classes as the seventh years began preparing for their N.E.W.T. exams, which were set to begin in May. Though she would be long gone before they took place, Hermione dove into the homework anyway in order to keep up appearances. She still hoped deep down that she'd be able to take them with her old classmates once she returned to the future.</p><p>And while Charlie and Hermione's days were the same as every other seventh year Gryffindor, their nights however were very different. After receiving word from Dumbledore that he had successfully managed to cut the tail off of a younger centaur while disillusioned, they had begun to prepare for their own trip into the forbidden forest. A journey set to take place on Valentine's weekend, when everyone else would be perusing Hogsmeade. It was likely the only chance they'd have where their absence wouldn't be noticed.</p><p>They were currently spending the evening alone together in Charlie's favorite spot on the grounds. Hermione was sitting cross legged on the bench while Charlie was busy re-stoking the fire. From a distance it would seem that he was the one doing all the work, but it was actually Hermione who was in the middle of the important task. She was focused intently as she flicked and twisted her wand around at his slightly worn rucksack; several incantations spilling easily from her lips.</p><p>During their recent preparations they had argued over where to keep the amulet ingredients and Harry's cloak hidden once Charlie left Hogwarts. He would need a secure place where none of his coworkers or roommates could come across them. After some careful deliberation, Hermione finally figured that what Charlie really needed was an undetectable extension charm of his own. From her experience, there was no better place to hide such items of importance when secrecy was of the essence.</p><p>"Done." She finally said after another minute; holding the freshly mended bag up at arms length to look it over from the outside. It looked practically brand new after all of the charms and spells she cast on it.</p><p>Charlie ended up adding one more log to the fire before joining her on the bench to inspect her work. He'd had this bag since fourth year, and although he'd planned on buying a newer, better one once he was out on his own, he knew now that it held too much meaning to ever be replaced.</p><p>When Hermione handed it to him, he reached his arm into the main pocket to test out the result of her extension charm. His fingertips brushed the bottom of the canvas bag almost immediately, and he tilted his head at her in confusion.</p><p>She laughed at the look on his face, causing the ball on the top of her warm woolen hat to bounce back and forth. "The inside zipper pocket." She explained. "I didn't want anyone else who might attempt to get something out of your bag to accidentally discover our secrets, or see something they aren't supposed to. I figured a hidden pocket would be much safer."</p><p>"That's a good idea." He nodded in agreement.</p><p>The thick fabric of his gloves made it a little difficult to grab hold of the small metal zipper, but eventually he was able to grip it between two of his fingers and pull. This time, when he reached inside the secondary storage space, his arm went all the way to his elbow without resistance; though the pocket should have stopped at his wrist.</p><p>"Yeah, that's better." He grinned from ear to ear now that he had the right pocket. It was a relief to know they officially had a place to store all of their things. "You did a good job." He added as he pulled his arm out of the sack to set it beside him instead.</p><p>"Thanks." She responded with a gratuitous smile.</p><p>Though there was a fire blazing nearby, and she was bundled up in her warmest hat and cloak, Hermione couldn't help but lean into the warmth his muscular frame offered. She tucked herself toward him in order to use him as a shield against the biting cold. He ended up chuckling as he threw his arm around her shoulder to bring her closer to him.</p><p>"So I've been thinking." He stated, changing the subject without adding anything else.</p><p>It was Hermione's turn to look confused as he dragged it out. "About?"</p><p>"Quidditch." He replied simply.</p><p>"Oh, of course." She commented in a teasing tone. "What a rare occasion indeed."</p><p>He pinched her side in retribution; causing her to wiggle against him out of reflex along with a single squeak.</p><p>"I meant about my tryout." He clarified; still seeming amused.</p><p>"What about it?" She asked curiously.</p><p>"Is there really any point to it anymore?" He wondered out loud; amusement now gone. "I mean I'd be gone most of next weekend for it, only to turn them down in favor of the RDS for dragonology. It just seems like a rather large waste of some of our little time left together before you leave is all."</p><p>Hermione hummed under her breath as she considered his explanation. On one hand she didn't like the idea of him being away from her again so soon, but on the other it was a very big event in his life. This tryout had always been a source of pride for his family members when they talked about him over the years. Though she knew Molly missed and worried about him constantly, it was no secret that her eyes would light up every time she talked about how her second eldest son had given up a coveted professional quidditch career in favor of the humble life of dragon keeping.</p><p>Hermione bit her lip as she came to her conclusion; only releasing it once she had thought out a proper response. "I get where you are coming from Charlie, but remember when I told you that you'd need to do things the same way you did in the original timeline?"</p><p>Charlie grunted in response.</p><p>"Well this is one of those times." She continued. "This is no small thing you are trying to stray away from. You passing on an invitation to play quidditch for England and running off to Romania instead, is one of the very first things I ever learned about you. It is an incredible accomplishment that makes your family prouder than you can ever imagine of you. Not to mention a great source of excitement and influence for your younger siblings."</p><p>"Wow." He nodded in contemplation. "I mean I knew this was a big deal when I got the news, but once you said I was going to get to play with dragons at the RDS instead I guess it didn't seem like as much of one."</p><p>A flicker of guilt bubbled up in Hermione chest. Given her lack of excitement over the sport, she had possibly caused him to dismiss the idea of going altogether. Now that she had a moment to think about it, this was something that he should be extremely excited about; not something he should be thinking about skipping altogether.</p><p>"I'm sorry if my lack of enthusiasm caused you to second guess it." She apologized; "It really is a great accomplishment though; despite my lack of adoration for quidditch. Just think of how exciting and unforgettable this experience is going to be."</p><p>His lips finally twitched into a crooked smile. "It is a big moment, isn't it?"</p><p>Hermione grinned in return; his smile contagious as usual. "Yes it is. I mean, Mason Flint sure didn't get invited did he?" She teased; knowing that their rivalry was almost as bad as Oliver Wood's would become with the former mentioned's younger brother.</p><p>Charlie let out a booming laugh and squeezed her a little tighter to him. "No. No that slimy git sure did not."</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>"Will you be sneaking into my bed again tonight by any chance?" Charlie whispered seductively in her ear as he held her close a few evenings later.</p><p>They were outside the doors to the Library, where Charlie was dropping her off before heading to his weekly prefect meeting and patrol duties. She wanted to get some extra study time in, even though she wouldn't actually be taking her N.E.W.T.S with everyone else. In true Hermione fashion, she wanted to be prepared in case she ended up stuck here long enough to take them after all.</p><p>Hermione laughed at his insatiability under her breath. "As much as I'd like to, we probably shouldn't make a habit of it." She claimed in response; though she was already planning on sneaking to his dorm as soon as her roommates fell asleep.</p><p>He groaned in disappointment before placing a final kiss to her lips for the night. "You're probably right." He agreed haughtily. "I guess I will see you in the morning then?"</p><p>"Bright and early." She smiled at him; knowing full well he'd see her long before then when she woke him up with another surprise midnight shag. "Now scoot." She shooed him down the hall so he wouldn't be late.</p><p>He kept his eyes locked on her with his usual grin the entire way, and she stood in place to watch him. When he was long out of sight she snorted and shook her head; silently chastising herself for being so smitten with him. She had never felt so entirely giddy in all of her serious life until she'd met him.</p><p>Still a bit distracted, she turned to open the door to the Library; not realizing that it was already being pushed her way from the other side. It crashed into her shoulder, causing the door to ricochet off and bounce back into whomever was trying to make their exit.</p><p>She heard a thud, followed a thump, and then a rather meek sounding 'ow' coming from the floor. Quickly, she opened the door the rest of the way with a grimace on her face. It hadn't felt good to her either, but at least she was still standing.</p><p>When Hermione finally turned her direction to the ground, she noticed that it was a rather small boy dawning a Hufflepuff scarf. His hair was brown, and one of his shoe laces was undone, but luckily he'd been quick enough to brace himself with his hands instead of getting knocked flat onto his back. She crouched down to his level to check on him.</p><p>"I'm sorry." She grimaced, as she began to help him gather his things that had obviously been knocked out of his hands. "Are you alright?"</p><p>"Yeah." The boy said, shaking his head and shoulders in quick succession as if to shake off the impact of being knocked to the floor by a seventh year. "Yeah I'm alright." He added as he pulled himself to his feet. "What about you?" He asked politely.</p><p>"The door hit me in the shoulder, but there's no lasting damage." She replied as she scooted one of his fallen textbooks toward her. "I really should have been paying more attention, so again, I'm really sorry."</p><p>Though he did reply to her second apology, Hermione did not hear it. Just as she had gone to close the book in her hand, she noticed the messy scrawl marked in ink on the inside cover.</p><p>The name Cedric Diggory stared up at her, causing her throat to drop into her stomach.</p><p>The realization of who she had just knocked to the ground crashed into her so hard she almost wanted to vomit. As if on cue she could hear both Harry and The Diggory's cries of anguish from the night of the third task in her ear.</p><p>As Cedric took his book back from her, which had still been clutched tightly in her hands, Hermione suddenly got an idea. She knew it was against the rules; knew that it was a bad idea, but somehow she just couldn't stop herself. In that moment, let the consequences be damned, she just couldn't bear to let that young boy die all over again. Not when she had the potential to stop it.</p><p>Just as he finished tucking the book back into his bag, she reached for his hand; holding it firmly with his palm facing up. Channeling the best impression of Trelawny as she could stomach, the pointer finger of her right hand began to trace the lines of his palm.</p><p>"What-" He started to ask, looking extremely dumbfounded.</p><p>"Don't touch the cup, Cedric." She whispered solemnly as she looked him in the eyes. "Just walk away." She shook her head at him slowly as she dropped his hand. "Don't touch it."</p><p>Before the confused second year could ask her to explain further, she stepped the rest of the way into the library; leaving him alone in the doorway.</p>
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<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The seventh year girls dorm burst with laughter as one witch in particular gave far too many details about her most recent sexual encounter; with motions and hand gestures included. Though Hermione didn't exactly want to know the exact size and shape of Devon's penis, her heart felt content and full for the first time since she could remember.</p><p>Though she did not discover that she was a witch until the age of eleven, Hermione had several spouts of accidental magic throughout her early childhood. Her parents had always found it odd that she'd been able to get books off of the highest shelves of their bookcase while they weren't looking, or that she'd somehow managed to get sugary sweets even though the two dentists would never buy such things to keep in the house. However much the Grangers loved their daughter, they also could not deny that there was definitely something strange about her.</p><p>In primary school, there were several instances that had resulted in a phone call from the headmaster; one in particular involving the two girls who enjoyed picking on her the most to end up with all of their hair falling out. Though it couldn't be proven, it was clear to all parties involved that Hermione had been the cause of the unfortunate incident.</p><p>Because the Granger's had yet to learn of the wizarding world at that point, they felt it necessary to keep their daughter close to home after that. They were worried that someone would notice her capabilities, and start asking questions they didn't have the answer to yet; or perhaps that Hermione might attract the government's attention and be taken away from them.</p><p>It was all of these fears combined that eventually caused them to keep Hermione secluded from the other children. Whilst the other girls were able to have exciting birthday parties and mass sleepovers at each other's houses, she had been left to her own devices; with only her books to keep her company.</p><p>In fact, it wasn't until her first night at Hogwarts that she'd been able to spend the night with other girls her age. Finding out that she was actually a witch and that there was a special place where she could go to be with other children like her seemed to be the answer to her loneliness. After the sorting, she'd joined the other Gryffindor girls in hopes that she would finally be able to make friends, but it was clear by then that the other girls had already paired off; Lavender with Parvati of course, and Faye with Annette. Though she tried to make an effort, it seemed she lacked the proper social skills that would have made fitting in easier.</p><p>At first, she couldn't understand how this could have happened. How could she have finally found the place she belonged, only to still be treated like an outsider? It was this perhaps that caused Ron's words on that first Halloween to hurt her so much. She was finally supposed to be in a place where she was accepted for who she was, only to feel like more of a freak than ever.</p><p>Eventually she had found true friendship with Harry and Ron of course, and her longing for true friendship was finally quelled. Then a few years later even moreso, when she'd been invited to join the Weasley family for the quidditch world cup. It was then and there with Ginny that she finally participated in her very first sleepover party. It had been a wonderful few nights that had bonded the two of them; giving them cause to continue their friendship over the next few years, including helping each other get ready for the Yule Ball together months later.</p><p>And though she currently missed Ginny something awful, Hermione also couldn't help but be grateful for the situation she was now finding herself in. To be sitting in a room full of girls who not only enjoyed her presence, but considered her a friend even though she'd been such a late and rather unexpected addition to their dorm room.</p><p>Laura and Sarah, Jasmine and Ivy. They had been so much more welcoming even on day one than the girls of her own grade had been in six years. And although Avery was away with Charlie for their overnight trip to tryout for a professional quidditch league, Hermione knew that she'd be enjoying their wild sleepover party just as much if she were here too.</p><p>At the start of the evening, the four poster beds had all been pushed together in the center of the room, and they had all piled into a circle for a night full of gossiping and faraway luck wishing to Avery and Charlie. Honeydukes treats and butterbeers soon covered almost every available surface; colorful candies spilling out all over the sheets around them.</p><p>The sudden movement of Ivy clamping her hand over her ears as she began to sing loudly brought Hermione's attention back to the present. Sarah had gone into even more detail about Devon, who had apparently given her a surprise visit over the holidays and asked her out again, and was now being entirely too forthcoming with the details of their first coupling. That along with the fact that Ivy and Devon were first cousins who practically grew up together, meant that Ivy was now past her limit for the mental imagery Sarah was forcing upon the group.</p><p>"Alright Sarah, please stop." Laura bid her friend through laughter; waving one hand at her while she wiped a tear from her eye with the other. She had laughed to the point of tears apparently. "You're killing us over here."</p><p>"Okay, okay. Sorry." Sarah apologized bashfully with an impish grin; collapsing back onto her bed after wrapping up the reenactment she'd just put on. "Got a bit carried away in my excitement is all."</p><p>"Although I am glad to see both you and Devon looking so happy these past few weeks, I have to ask. Is this one actually going to stick this time?" Ivy asked teasingly; having finally lowered her hands from covering her ears.</p><p>"We'll see." Sarah smiled coyly in return; taking the jibe in stride. "His kissing skills have greatly improved-"</p><p>"Lalalalala!" Ivy recovered her ears so she wouldn't have to hear anymore as Sarah stuck her tongue out.</p><p>"Well, in the interest of a subject change…" Laura spoke up over everyone's laughter. "Jean, I hear Sarah passed off one of her special blue potions to you just before Christmas." Laura turned to her with a knowing look. "Any chance you've had cause to use it yet?"</p><p>Hermione's face turned stark white as her eyebrows raised almost to her hairline. She hadn't expected them to turn the tables on her, and she definitely hadn't been planning on sharing details of her own to the group.</p><p>Unfortunately by the grins they all now had, she was certain that her facial expression had given the answer to Laura's question away.</p><p>"Oooh! Now this I do want to hear!" Ivy sat up straighter while the rest of the girls all looked much more excited to learn about Charlie's prowess in bed rather than Devon's.</p><p>Hermione groaned and buried her face into one hand. "Well...alright, okay, yes." She finally admitted; causing a series of whoops and yips to be emitted from the other girl's mouths.</p><p>"But don't expect me to put on a show." She added, just before diving into her own set of details.</p><p>It was all in the spirit of the evening after all. The type of interaction she had always longed to be included in, and wasn't sure she'd ever have the opportunity to enjoy again.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>The next morning, Hermione was curled up on one of the squashy sofas in front of the fireplace with a steaming cup of tea in her hands. She was smiling to herself as she thought about all the new friends she had made the past five months. All of her dorm mates were so much more vibrant and easier to get along with then the four girls she'd been made to grow up with.</p><p>Just as she was thinking about how glad she was that she'd never have to listen to Lavender and Parvati giggle endlessly about divination and which boy they thought was cuter again, she had a terrible realization. Her once happy mood turned sour as she realized how soon she'd be leaving all of her new friends behind. And it wasn't just that she'd be leaving, no; for the first time she realized that unlike Charlie, all the new people in her life were not going to understand why.</p><p>Laura and Sarah, Jasmine, Avery and Ivy, and even Devon; they weren't going to be getting an explanation as to why she was suddenly gone before the year was even over. To them, she'd disappear in the middle of the night, never to return. Her heart suddenly ached at the thought of never seeing them again, and she knew she needed Dumbledore's guidance once more.</p><p>Just as she was trying to come up with a plan to make her departure less noticeable, another copy of a thick magazine was dropped into her lap from above; nearly spilling her tea.</p><p>"Jean!" The sing song voice of Sarah rang in her ear from behind. "I come bearing gifts!"</p><p>Before she could either reply, or pick up the copy of Witch Weekly that had just practically been thrown at her, a small pouch was also dropped on top of it. The clinking of glass drew a puzzled look to her face as she picked the topmost gift up delicately.</p><p>Hermione unhooked the string keeping the pouch closed and looked inside to where a set of four glass vials stared up at her. Each one contained a dark blue liquid she had only recently become acquainted with.</p><p>"Since we breached the subject last night, and you confirmed that you in fact took the last one I gave you day of, I assume it's almost time for another dose." Sarah explained discreetly, but with a knowing grin. "Now you have enough to last almost until the end of the year. Happy late Christmas!"</p><p>"Thanks." Hermione snorted and stuffed the pouch into her pocket. "Seriously thank you. I might have been too embarrassed to ask you again, or even attempted to brew some myself."</p><p>Sarah plopped down on the couch next to her. "You're welcome. Not that the last option isn't viable." She snorted, knowing that Hermione would likely brew it perfectly on her first attempt. "However, I also bring peace of mind in other forms." She tapped the cover of the magazine still in Hermione's lap.</p><p>In the upper right hand corner was another much more broody picture of Reginald Swepper; only this time the tagline that accompanied him read <em>No Reconciliation for Swepper and St. Clair. Find out who her other option was on page 16.</em></p><p>If that tagline meant what she thought it meant, then Heather was back off the market again already, which would indeed put her mind at ease.</p><p>"Spoiler alert, it's Bartholomew Cuffe." Sarah spoke up excitedly before she could turn the page.</p><p>"The one she ditched for Charlie two years ago?" Hermione asked. "The guy whose family practically runs the Daily Prophet?"</p><p>"The one and the same." Sarah confirmed.</p><p>The two girls spent the next several minutes looking the article over, giggling at the ridiculous photos of the happy new couple that had obviously been faked for publicity. Neither of them knew who they felt more sorry for; Reg Swepper for getting so publicly dumped and humiliated, or Bartholomew Cuffe for not realizing that he was so obviously getting used.</p><p>At least Heather St. Clair was one less thing Hermione had to worry about.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>After her fun morning with Sarah, Hermione made her way down the moving staircases after lunch in hopes of meeting Charlie by the entrance gates. He was due back from his tryout soon, and even though he had only been away for one night she was eager for him to be back.</p><p>Hermione knew with certainty that he had impressed the scouts and coaches, but that didn't stop her from wanting to hear about his experience first hand; having only heard about it in minor detail from his family over the years.</p><p>She was just thinking about where to take him so she could welcome him back properly, when the sounds of another set of footsteps approaching her from the opposite direction brought her attention back to her surroundings. Mason Flint was approaching her from the front; making his way up the stairs to some random location, as the Slytherin common room was obviously in the dungeons below them.</p><p>Hermione continued on; as if to pass him without a greeting when, to her annoyance, he came to stop just in front of her. Unfortunately he did so just as the stairs decided to halt half way between landing points. She now had no choice but to wait until it moved again so she could evade his presence; as he made no effort to go around her. Why oh why did it have to stop when she was only two floors away from her destination of the ground floor?</p><p>"Hey Walters." He nodded at her as the stairs stilled. "On your way to console Weasley over his pathetic attempt to play for the big leagues are you?"</p><p>Hermione huffed under her breath and tapped her foot impatiently, willing the stairs to move once more.</p><p>"Console? No." She responded in as polite of a tone as she could muster. "Congratulate, Yes."</p><p>There was a pause as he stared at her almost menacingly. He was nearly a foot taller than her, but the fact that he was two steps lower than her only meant that their faces were just at eye level. A nasty smirk spread slowly across his lips as Hermione stared him down unwaveringly; though the air was thick with tension.</p><p>"Such a pity." He finally said.</p><p>"Excuse me?" Hermione replied offendedly.</p><p>He shrugged, looking rather bored and unbothered. "Half blood status or not, you're rather pretty Walters. Intelligent too." He answered. "I'm not sure how things worked in America, but it's really a shame you haven't realized how much better you could do than Weasley."</p><p>Hermione felt her skin crawl as if she were back in the Room of Requirement with Malfoy. Typical Slytherin. Who the hell did he think he was? Insinuating that he was better than Charlie just because he had come from wealth and privilege.</p><p>"By better, I sure hope you don't mean yourself?" She sneered back at him; all hints of politeness forgotten.</p><p>Mason's eyes darkened. "Watch your tone Walters." He growled out. "You wouldn't want to get on my bad side."</p><p>"Trust me." Hermione warned back, her fingers clutching tightly onto her wand. "I've survived far worse than you could ever even dream of becoming."</p><p>The chuckle he emitted as he looked her over from head to toe sent a chill down her spine, but she held her ground. He really was nothing but a timid school bully compared to Umbridge, the snatchers, or Bellatrix Lestrange.</p><p>"That's a bit dramatic don't you think?"</p><p>Hermione stared him down. She was contemplating heading back the direction she came, but did not yet want to turn her back to him.</p><p>"Not after the things I've been through, no."</p><p>He shrugged again, the wrist of his right hand twitching; giving away his next move. "You're kind of tempting me to test that theory out you know?"</p><p>It only took three seconds for him to realize his mistake. In the same movement that he sent a knockback jinx at her in an attempt to flip her over onto her back, two separate things happened. The first being that Hermione had put up a protego to protect herself, which in turn caused his flipendo to ricochet off of it and hit himself squarely in the chest.</p><p>The second thing to happen, was that the staircase had finally started to move again.</p><p>Mason Flint's eyes rounded in surprise as he was lifted up off of his feet. The fear Hermione could see in them was mirrored in her own as they both realized too late what was about to happen.</p><p><em>"Levicorpus!"</em> She shouted in an attempt to save him from crashing all the way to the ground.</p><p>It was too late though. His scream echoed around her as the loud thud of him hitting the stone floor below reached her ears.</p><p>Hermione screamed too as she realized what had happened. Mason may have been bothering her, and attempting to bully her a bit, but he didn't deserve to die for it.</p><p>As soon as the stairs had locked into the second floor landing, she was running down them as fast as her legs could carry her; turning the corner and taking the last set as well. She hoped if he was still alive that she could stop the bleeding long enough to get him to Madam Pompfrey.</p><p>When she finally reached her destination of the ground floor, Hermione was met with a very unusual set of circumstances; noticing several things at once and having to process them mentally even faster than she was usually accustomed to.</p><p>The first thing she could see was that Mason had indeed fallen at an accelerated speed; likely caused by his own use of the flipendo spell. A large pool of blood surrounded his head, and most of his limbs were sticking out around him at odd angles.</p><p>The next thing she noticed, was that someone else had already reached him first: Professor Severus Snape to be exact. At first he seemed to be stoppering the blood flow and cursing the fallen boy for obviously acting like an idiot while the stairs were in motion. Then, suddenly, he lifted his wand.</p><p>
  <em>"Expecto Patronum!"</em>
</p><p>A wispy blue patronus erupted from the tip of Snape's wand as he called out for help to Madame Pomfrey.</p><p>It was then, as the patronus ran past her and up the stairs, that Hermione noticed the peculiar shape it had taken. Her eyes scrunched in confusion at the familiarity of it, but at first she could not understand why.</p><p>All of the clues suddenly fell into place in her mind, and Hermione involuntarily gasped and covered her mouth with one hand as the realization dawned on her. Snape's patronus was in fact the same shape as the patronus of unknown origin that had led Harry to the Sword of Godric Gryffindor that frozen morning in late December. The only reason they had been able to destroy the locket in the first place.</p><p>The patronus that took the form of a doe.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP</p><p>
  <strong>1989</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 33</strong>
</p><p>When Charlie returned to Hogwarts, it was not with the warm welcome home at the gates that he had anticipated, but rather with the startling news from Sarah and Devon that an incident had occurred while he was away. He had rushed to Hermione's side in an instant, who was glued to the waiting area just outside the hospital wing awaiting news on the fate of the boy who just tried to attack her.</p><p>"It's my fault." She had said gloomily, after telling him how the accident had happened. "My being here almost got someone killed."</p><p>Charlie ended up consoling her through the night, exciting tales of his tryout forgotten for the time being while he assured her that it was not her fault. He told her that Mason had brought it upon himself, but nothing he did or said could convince her otherwise, or that this wouldn't have happened if she hadn't been in the past in the first place.</p><p>The next morning, they both discovered that though Mason would survive he had been transferred to St. Mungos for more extensive healing on his brain. Madam Pomfrey had done all she could, but he was still in a coma with no way to tell if he'd ever recover mentally from the damage.</p><p>Weeks had now passed, but Hermione was still feeling a bit traumatized. She would put on a happy face in front of the other girls, but under the surface the guilt was slowly eating away at her. Though she continued to try and keep herself focused on the rest of her task pertaining to the amulets, she couldn't help but worry herself sick that she had changed the future irreparably by going down the stairs that day. What sort of chain reaction would be caused from that one small accident?</p><p>She had tried so hard not to change anything in the beginning, but now she had done just that. Her attempt to warn and prevent the two deaths of Cedric and Dumbledore from occurring in the future had been with good intentions, but it seemed that in return she had also almost caused another's unprecedented demise.</p><p>In truth, it was not just thoughts of Mason that plagued her mind, but Professor Snape as well. The form of his patronus proved that he had continued to help them long after he had killed Dumbledore, but what she couldn't understand was why. Why would he help us at all, or at least, why kill Dumbledore if he still wanted Harry to succeed at the task left to him?</p><p>Hermione needed to know the truth before she left. What if in the last moment of battle they needed Snape's help, and still didn't know if he could be trusted or not. It was too big of an if to leave in the past; and although he had always evaded the question before, that meant she was going to have to get it out of Dumbledore one way or another before then.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>"I can't believe you have actually done it." Hermione spoke out loud as she stared up at the tree line in front of her. "You are actually going to get me to go back in here of my own free will."</p><p>It was Valentines Day, and unlike the other couples sprinkled throughout Hogwarts, the activity they had planned was far from what one would consider a romantic getaway. It was time for them to uphold their part of the plan, and retrieve enough unicorn and thestral hairs to make the amulet chains with; which is why they were currently standing in front of the Forbidden Forest.</p><p>Charlie chuckled beside her, taking her hand in his as they mentally prepared for the journey ahead of them. "That I am. It's good to see you've found your sense of humor again."</p><p>"Smug bastard." She scoffed under her breath.</p><p>"What was that?" He raised one eyebrow knowingly at her.</p><p>"Nothing."</p><p>"Come on." He nudged her shoulder with his as he grinned; taking their first step forward into the forest together. "It'll be fun."</p><p>"I'll believe that when I see it." She continued to rib him in order to cover up her discomfort at having to go in here again. Of all the times she'd had to enter it before, not one had gone without an incident.</p><p>"Okay mister magical creature expert, where do you think we should start on our search?" She asked in an attempt to distract herself from flashing back to images of Umbridge, the Centaurs, and Grawp. "I'm sorry that I've not been of much help planning this lately. My mind has been preoccupied elsewhere."</p><p>"Don't worry about it Hermione. I know just where your head has been and I don't blame you one bit." Charlie stroked the back of her gloved hand with his thumb for reassurance, though in truth he only knew half of it. "But, lucky for you, it just so happens that I have our journey today almost completely plotted out already."</p><p>"You do?" She seemed extremely pleased, though slightly surprised; used to always being the one to have to plan everything.</p><p>"Yes. I do. " He claimed cheerfully, still hoping to bring her out of her state of borderline depression. "After Care of Magical Creatures class a few days ago I purposely bumped into Hagrid to ask about that foal I helped him out with a few months ago."</p><p>"Oh of course!" Hermione recalled the day she had accompanied him to tend to the poor young unicorn's broken leg. "And?"</p><p>"Well it seems it's mother had sensed it was nearby way back when, and had taken to calling out for it just past the treeline. When Hagrid released it a few days later, he recalled seeing them reunite and head north toward the center of the forest. Apparently there is a bit of a herd that lives nearby a small pond in that area."</p><p>"That sounds like a good place to start, but wouldn't a water source bring lots of other creatures in as well?" Hermione asked skeptically, hoping that location wouldn't incite yet another incident upon her.</p><p>"That's correct." Charlie replied. "Which means we are going to have to be careful. We should probably use Death's cloak when we approach our destinations to be safe. The centaurs likely use that pond as their main watering hole as well, and they aren't fond of humans as it is. After Dumbledore stole one of their tails last month it wouldn't be smart of us to get caught stealing hair from another creature with their herd that close nearby."</p><p>"That sounds smart." Hermione nodded as they weaved through the tree trunks where the forest seemed to get thicker.</p><p>"And though I know they like to live in the darker parts of the forest, the only thing I haven't accounted for is how we are actually going to get the thestral hair." He revealed before turning to look at her again. "I mean, I know what they sound like, but I can't exactly see them; as I have yet to witness or come to terms with someone's death. But that day in Dumbledore's office you seemed to think that you'd be able to. Have you seen them before?"</p><p>"No." Hermione shook her head as she looked to the ground; watching where her footsteps fell. "No I haven't yet actually."</p><p>"But I thought you said you'd ridden them on two separate occasions?"</p><p>"I have." She claimed. "But both times I was helped onto them by someone else."</p><p>"Okay." He commented in thought. "So what makes you think you'll be able to see them now? I mean did you see-" Charlie cut himself off and grimaced, realizing what he was about to ask. "Sorry, I mean, are you sure you'll be able to do this?"</p><p>Hermione bit her bottom lip in thought as they continued to walk toward the center of the vast forest. It was true that no one had exactly died in her arms, but she had faced death numerous times herself since the last time she had been in the presence of a thestral. Surely all of her experiences and close calls with death during her time on the run with Harry and Ron would count.</p><p>First, there had been Bathilda Bagshot on Christmas Eve. Yes, she had already been dead long before they arrived, but when she had come across the body while Harry had been upstairs with the very snake imitating her, she was shocked beyond belief. It had been a horrific sight to experience, one that she considered directly related to witnessing the permanence of death.</p><p>Second, there was the day that they had been caught by snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor. She had been prepared to die that day as she'd writhed on the drawing room floor. In that moment she would have rather died a hundred deaths than tell Belatrix Lestrange what she wanted to know. In fact, the pain that came with that prolonged exposure to the cruciatus curse created moments where she almost welcomed it.</p><p>Lastly, was Dobby's death; which came only a few minutes after. Though she had been in and out of consciousness at the time, she could hazily remember the sight of him falling into Harry's arms; the both of them soaked with blood. He had saved her. He had saved them. But he had not been fast enough to save himself from the dagger thrown just as he had disapparated them all away. It was true that he wasn't human per say; but he had been a good friend, and the loss she felt had been overwhelming once she'd had time to process it.</p><p>Hermione shook off the three memories, hoping at least one of the experiences had been strong enough to help them today. They needed that hair, and to procure it would take someone who wasn't afraid to face death head on. Someone like her.</p><p>"Yes." She finally answered him definitively. "Yes, I'm sure."</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>An hour later as planned, they were staking out the pond under the cover of the invisibility cloak. One of Charlie's arms had snaked around her waist to keep her close by; worried that any distance at all would uncover their feet or a random ankle. It was important to keep absolutely quiet and under the cover of the cloak until the perfect moment of opportunity. The plan was to try and find the same unicorn foal that had already bonded with Charlie the year before, and calmly snip a section of its mane off without being noticed.</p><p>At first they were worried, because a small group of centaurs passed them in order to partake in gathering several pouches and jugs of water from the stream; likely to take back to their colony. Luckily, however, they took no notice of them and moved on rather quickly; galloping back the way they came after their supplies had been gathered.</p><p>With sighs of relief, Hermione and Charlie waited to see if any other creatures would follow, or if they would get lucky enough to spot the same foal and it's mother. Those unicorns specifically were their best chance of completing the task without risk, but if they did come across another unicorn in the process they would take what they could get.</p><p>When another twenty minutes went by without sight nor sound of any other creature, Charlie finally decided to put his plan B into action. "Stay here." He whispered; placing a single kiss to her cheek before dipping out from under the cloak.</p><p>Hermione worried that he was taking too great a risk by leaving the cover invisibility brought them, but she only nodded as he left her in their spot against a large tree trunk. She believed he could handle himself; especially when it came to magical creatures, but she raised her wand up defensively just in case.</p><p>Almost silently, Charlie slipped his backpack off his shoulders and knelt to the ground. After digging a few items out of it, he placed it on the ground beside her to mark where he'd been.</p><p>When he stood, Hermione could see that he now held a small bag filled with red apples; likely stolen from the breakfast table that morning. Slowly, he began to approach the pond; burlap sack in one hand, and a single apple held out with the other. At the same time he began to walk, he also began to whistle a soft tune. It was two notes that he would repeat over and over again after a short pause between. One after another; beckoning any creatures nearby to come hither.</p><p>After another minute of no results, Charlie brought the single apple to his lips in order to take a bite; ripping into it's flesh with his teeth. It made a perfect snapping noise as he bit into it; echoing, and sending the scent of fresh apples into the air with it.</p><p>Charlie chewed slowly, as he kept his eyes on his surroundings. Though he hoped his actions would only bring friendly creatures into their midst, there was as likely a chance that something undesirable could be lurking nearby as well.</p><p>It didn't take long before a whinnying could be heard among the trees, and Hermione nearly jumped when a flash of tan sped past the tree trunk she had been leaning against. The action startled her, but she kept her wand hand raised, and the other on the seam of the cloak; ready to throw it open in order to defend Charlie should any trouble arise.</p><p>To her genuine surprise, when she focused back on Charlie he was being approached by a small, light gold colored horse. From the looks of it, the same one they were hoping to find in the first place.</p><p>It let out a knicker as it circled him a few times, before finally coming to stand in front of him. He had grown a bit since the last time they had seen it, and it's coat was much lighter now that he was a few months older. Charlie grinned, and held the apple out to it in his palm.</p><p>"There you are, boy." He cooed at it; giving him a scratch under the chin as it chewed the apple whole. "I've been looking all over for you. Did you miss me?"</p><p>The young unicorn whinnied again and knocked the bridge of its face against Charlie's hand, as if agreeing that it had missed him. Charlie laughed at it before grabbing another apple out of his sack; which the unicorn accepted greedily.</p><p>From a distance, Hermione watched the pair with a small smile gracing her lips. She had always had a passion for the care and protection of all creatures, great and small. Adopting Crookshanks over an owl when no one else would, helping Hagrid defend Buckbeak to the wizengamot, and starting S.P.E.W. once witnessing first hand how bad house elves were treated. To her horror, it hadn't taken long to realize just how little her peers felt the same, Harry and Ron included. It had in fact been a bit disheartening to learn that no one else was as passionate about the well being of fellow magical creatures as she was.</p><p>But now here she was, years before that; watching as the one person who did feel the same loved on a small horse. He continued to stroke its face, and soothe it with his voice; feeding it more apples as he attempted to steal some of its hair without it noticing.</p><p>She continued to watch in awe as Charlie succeeded at his task; tucking a fistful of unicorn hair into his coat pocket without losing the foal's attention for even a second. At that moment, there were only two things clear in her mind.</p><p>The first, was that she had definitely chosen the right man. As much as she loved Ron, there was no way he could ever invoke the feelings in her Charlie did just by being himself. All the things she had liked about Ron beyond friendship didn't feel right anymore, as if a part of her had always wished he was just a bit more caring, or at least a little more ambitious. It felt wrong to try and compare them, especially when that was one of Ron's biggest fears beside spiders, but she just couldn't help it anymore. Charlie was everything she needed in a partner, and just as he had already known about her, she was sure he was it for her; now more than ever.</p><p>The second thing that was clear, due to the lack of bad incidents to occur so far, was that if she ever had to go into the forbidden forest again after this, it would only be with Charlie right by her side.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>After Charlie was finally able to escape the adolescent unicorn, surprisingly with a few apples left to spare, Hermione ushered him back under the cover of the cloak so they could set off toward their next task. They still had to acquire the thestral hairs before they could head back to the warmth of the castle.</p><p>As they walked deeper and deeper into the forest they kept their footsteps light, and their ears open; listening closely for any eerie shrieks that might lead them in the right direction. At one point they even had to stop completely as a small group of acromantulas crossed in front of them; each carrying something small, and thickly wrapped within layers of sticky web on their backs.</p><p>Hermione shivered at the thought of becoming dinner for the large cluster of arachnids, but pressed on anyway. It would be easy to turn back now, and ask either Hagrid or Dumbledore to get the hair for them instead. Except she already felt as if she was leaving too much of the amulet making to other people, and refused to push anything else onto those who were already helping her so much.</p><p>Both of them knew that thestrals prefer dark environments, but Hermione was the one with first hand knowledge of what their shrieks of communication sounded like. Though she had not been able to see them during any of her previous encounters, she had at least felt and heard them.</p><p>At last, it seemed that they had reached a clearing. The earth seemed darker here; almost ash colored, and it was here that Hermione finally heard the vaguely familiar scream she was listening for. A call that sounded just enough like a horse that it could only be the creature they were looking for.</p><p>"Was that it?" Charlie whispered as they stilled beside one another.</p><p>"Yes." Hermione whispered back. "I'm almost certain it was."</p><p>After a thorough glance around the clearing, Charlie deemed the area safe enough for them to uncloak. Just like before, he then took off his backpack that contained the pocket she had expanded in order to go through it; taking out the supplies he'd gathered specifically for luring the thestrals in toward them.</p><p>"Here, hold your arms out." He requested, as he took out a rope that had several dead ferrets attached to it.</p><p>Hermione made a face of disgust, but did hold one of her arms out. She was instantly reminded of Buckbeak, and how Hagrid had kept lines of these out by where he had been tethered in her third year.</p><p>"Hagrid likes to feed these to the Hippogriffs." Charlie began.</p><p>"Yeah, I know." She replied before he could explain further.</p><p>Charlie couldn't help but snicker at the look on her face as he looped the end of the rope in one of her hands, and placed a single dead ferret into the other. "Thestrals are carnivores, attracted to the smell of a fresh kill. So these should help you make friends." He whispered in her ear as he slipped something into her coat pocket, weighing it down slightly. "They are very intuitive, and will know you mean them no harm. But unlike the unicorn, you do not want to try and trick them. I think they will know what you want from them once you begin to interact; so show them you are friendly, and only pull what I just gave you out once they have given you their full and complete approval."</p><p>Hermione only nodded in response, worried she'd vomit from the smell of the blood if she opened her mouth. From what she could remember, the day her and her closest friends had flown to the Department of Mysteries the thestrals had swarmed them due to the blood her and Harry had been covered in at the time. She took a few steps away from Charlie in order to be in the center of the clearing, hopeful that his plan would work.</p><p>After another few minutes the sound of leaves crunching under hooved feet sent the both of them on alert. The smell of the dead ferrets had obviously lured something towards them almost instantly.</p><p>"Is it them?" Charlie asked with his wand at the ready; just in case it was not the creatures they were hoping for.</p><p>Though she did hear him, only a gasp left her lips; for at the very moment he finished speaking a small herd of thestrals had entered the clearing. Whether it had been one of her previously thought of incidents, or a combination of all three, she was not sure. But finally, after months of curiosity, it was confirmed that she could now see the skeletal winged beasts.</p><p>When she did not answer him, Charlie turned to watch her face closely; following her eyesight in order to figure out where they were.</p><p>"Can you see them?" He questioned her again.</p><p>"Yes." She whispered back to him; though her eyes were focused only on the creatures at the far end of the clearing. "Four of them."</p><p>As slow as she could, Hermione took a step toward them with the single dead ferret out in front of her as an offering. Charlie simply watched what he could from behind.</p><p>The smallest of the four thestrals was the first to show interest in her. Slowly, and only taking matching steps with her as they approached one another.</p><p>"Here you are." She said softly once it was only a few paces from her; tossing the ferret directly into its eagerly awaiting mouth.</p><p>The thestral gave a cry, of what she assumed was thanks, though sounded much more sinister than that. It then flipped its treat high into the air with its teeth and caught it again, as if making a game out of it.</p><p>This movement caused a second thestral to run forward excitedly, which also caused Hermione to take a few steps back cautiously; and the two adolescent creatures began to take part in a rather morbid game of tug-o'war. The sound of the ferret's fur and spine ripping could be heard as they fought over their tasty treat.</p><p>Hermione looked at them mesmerized, though also with a little bit of disgust; while poor Charlie could only see the unlucky ferret's body being ripped to shreds by invisible forces. He was only thankful that the poor thing had already been dead before they had gotten a hold of it.</p><p>By the time it had been truly devoured, the other two thestrals had reached them as well. While Hermione had unhooked another dead ferret for the first one, the other seemed a little impatient and had started pulling at the entire rope filled with the treats in her other.</p><p>"Hey!' She laughed as she tried to tug it back toward herself unsuccessfully.</p><p>The rope ended up slipping off her gloved hand, and almost instantly the clearing became a blood bath. What started out as a four way game of ripping and shredding, ended as a game of seven; as three more thestrals had joined them. Obviously lured in by the smell of all the blood.</p><p>Once the ferrets had been well and truly devoured, one of the original thestrals approached her again. It licked a stray drop of splattered blood from her cheek before sniffing at her with its bony, leathery nose.</p><p>Hermione was not frightened as it did so, knowing that it meant her no harm. Very slowly she extended her hand, and placed it on its neck; giving it soft strokes with her fingertips.</p><p>The two of them stayed like that for several minutes as Hermione tried to bond with the creature. She stared into its hazy, glazed over eyes; hoping to convey without words what she needed from it. If they were as intuitive as both Hagrid and Charlie had claimed, they should know that she only had good intentions.</p><p>Like magic, it seemed that her wish had been granted. The thestral released a soft snort, and bowed its head downward to the ground; tilting it's long black mane in her direction.</p><p>Not wanting to spook it, Hermione ran her fingers through the hair softly. "Thank you." She bade it as she took the scissors out of her pocket with the other. "You are going to help me protect a lot of people I care about."</p><p>The thestral seemed completely at ease with her as she snipped a few hairs off here and there, just until she had gathered what she thought would be enough. And while she knew that thestrals were not hippogriffs, it seemed appropriate to bow to it once her task was done. So by way of a thank you, and to also show the others still in the area that she meant it no harm, Hermione lowered her head to the ground.</p><p>When she lifted back to it's eye level, she was surprised to see that the others had gone back into the forest already. The single one left, however, let out a single loud shriek into the slowly dimming sky. Somehow, Hermione felt that it was saying not only you're welcome, but goodbye.</p><p>And unlike the other thestrals who had wandered back the way they came, this one spread it's leathery wings and took off into the air; circling them once before leaving them alone in the clearing together.</p><p>Hermione watched it until it was out of sight. They were curious creatures; misunderstood, though a bit unnerving unless you were accustomed to them. Fascinating, and alarming all at the same time. When she finally turned back toward Charlie so they could head back, he was grinning at her with more adoration than she had ever seen from him before.</p><p>"Well would you look at that." He said; looking proud. "Looks like I'm not the only one with a penchant for magical creatures."</p>
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<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
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    <p>Disclaimer: JK owns HP</p><p>
  <strong>1989</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 34</strong>
</p><p>Hermione pressed a languid kiss to his lips just before lifting the hood of Harry's cloak over her head; departing into the night. Nine days had now passed since their trip into the forbidden forest, and there was still much to be done before she left to go back into battle with her friends.</p><p>Just that morning, she had received a summons from Dumbledore by way of an owl. He wanted her to meet him in his office that evening, and to be safe he wanted her to come alone and not be seen whilst doing so.</p><p>Though she had been expecting to meet with him soon, as they still needed to segment out a full wiggentree, it was a bit peculiar that he hadn't wanted Charlie to attend as well. Surely he knew that he was just as much a part of this as she was, and that she would relay everything to him anyway.</p><p>After careful consideration, Hermione couldn't help but sense that something wasn't quite right with his request. For days now she had been plotting how to get Snape's secret out of him, but for some reason that just didn't seem to be the root of what was unsettling her about his letter.</p><p>She tried to rationalize every possible scenario in her head for what she was feeling, and eventually came to the conclusion that it might have something to do with Mason Flint. Though it was an accident, she had played a part in his stay at St. Mungos. Had the ministry heard about the unfortunate incident and wanted to take action, or was she just being silly now that her time here was drawing to a close?</p><p>Upon her entrance into the headmasters office ten minutes later, she noticed that Dumbledore was standing in front of the large arched window. His back was to her, and he made no movement to acknowledge her arrival.</p><p>Silently, she joined him where he stood; taking in the view. There was a large, full moon that lit up the night sky that evening; a large winged beast flying majestically across it. This was not their normal way to start a meeting, which again caused her to sense that something was wrong.</p><p>"Good evening Miss Walters." He finally spoke, still not turning his head to face her. "I will take it you and Mr. Weasley's trip into the Forbidden Forest was a success?"</p><p>"It was." She confirmed, eyes tracing the landscape. "There is a young male unicorn that seems particularly fond of Charlie, and with the help of some apples it didn't even seem to notice that we had stolen several locks of its hair."</p><p>"Ah, the one Hagrid saved last fall." He commented, already knowing. "That was very smart of you to seek that particular unicorn foal out."</p><p>"Yes, well, it was all Charlie's idea really." She confessed. "Just like how he also knew the thestrals would be attracted to me if I smelled of blood. He made me carry along a bunch of dead ferrets to feed to them."</p><p>Dumbledore had to repress a smile at that imagery. "Then I will assume you were successful at obtaining hair from one of them as well."</p><p>Hermione nodded her confirmation. "Mhm, though theirs were given to me willingly. Charlie assured me that they are perceptive creatures, and sure enough after I fed them and showed them I wasn't a threat, one of the smaller ones let me cut several strands off without a problem."</p><p>"That is excellent news. Which means you should be in the clear to finish your end of things before you leave."</p><p>She only nodded at him in response, unsure of where he would take the conversation next.</p><p>"You know, I have always believed that happiness could be found even in the darkest of times." He spoke up again after another minute. "And the relationship you have built with young Charles this year is a true testament to that."</p><p>The corners of Hermione's lips twitched upwards at his words. "I do know. He has been my main source of light." She responded fondly. "Guiding me through one of the most difficult journeys of my life."</p><p>Dumbledore raised his hands to link his fingers together in front of himself, pausing in thought again. "Then I will make sure he is able to continue to do so." He finally said before removing himself from in front of the window.</p><p>He continued to move slowly toward his desk, while Hermione turned to watch him thoughtfully. "I'm sorry, but what exactly do you mean by that?" She asked just as he took his seat behind the large claw-footed desk.</p><p>"There are several very important topics of discussion on our agenda tonight." He answered calmly, or rather, non answered. "So I do hope you don't mind if I put that particular one off for now."</p><p>This all but confirmed her suspicions that something wasn't quite right, and the hint that it actually had something to do with Charlie was daunting. Instead of panicking over it, she ended up nodding in compliance before taking her usual seat in the left side guest chair.</p><p>"For your next task," Dumbledore continued. "Professor Sprout has informed me that the wiggentrees your Herbology class potted near the beginning of term are almost at full maturity now."</p><p>Hermione noted the drastic change in subject, but did not draw attention to it; hoping he would get back to the subject of Charlie sooner rather than later. "That's good to hear. Does that mean Charlie and I will be able to have one of them soon?" She asked, hoping to redirect it to get some more answers.</p><p>"I have fed her a story about a colony of bowtruckles whose own tree recently caught fire." Dumbledore responded in a roundabout way. "And ever the philanthropist, she agreed to donate one to replace it."</p><p>"Okay, that seems a good cover story, but how do we actually get it though?" She asked for clarification.</p><p>"In three weeks, Pomona plans on visiting some relatives for the weekend." He described the plan. "You should use your cloak to sneak out after dark, and move the tree to the room of hidden things during that time. That way you can work on the amulet forms from there."</p><p>Hermione nodded as she ran over the plan in her head. "That should work. I'll let Charlie know."</p><p>Her words had obviously been another attempt to redirect the conversation again now that all the obvious information had been exchanged, causing a certain tension to radiate off the both of them. As if they could sense that the other had unfinished business to discuss.</p><p>"Miss Granger, the time has come for us to have an in depth conversation about your upcoming trip to the future. It is actually the main reason I requested your presence here in my office tonight." He revealed.</p><p>Hermione's throat went dry at the thought of it. During her first few weeks here, she had been desperate to get back to Harry and Ron; having to spend months in the past without them had felt wrong. But now, six months later, she was much less so. She had built a life here since then; not only with Charlie, but with several new friends added into the mix as well.</p><p>"As you already know." He continued on; brushing past the solemn look now appearing on her face. "The Department of Mysteries is sending a team over on the eve of your departure. They will be coming the same day Wilkie Twycross is set to preside over the apparition tests, which has been moved back a few weeks further than normal. They are using it as a way to cover their real reason for being here."</p><p>Hermione thought hard about where he could possibly be going with this, but nothing clear came to mind. "Yes, we wouldn't want any of the other students to get suspicious. I suppose their arrival will directly coincide with my disappearance after all." She settled on.</p><p>"That's precisely what I wanted to talk to you about." His voice dropped an octave. "They won't actually notice you've gone, Hermione."</p><p>The lump that had formed in her throat felt as if it had now fallen into her chest at those words. This was nowhere in the realm of what her worst case scenario had been.</p><p>"Wh-What?" She tilted her head as both brows wrinkled in confusion. "What do you mean they won't notice?"</p><p>"Miss Granger, they will not remember that you were ever here to begin with." Dumbledore stared over the rims of his glasses at her, in order to explain the seriousness of what was about to happen at Hogwarts. "The unspeakables plan on mass-obliviating the entire school. The very morning after you've gone."</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>With her heart racing, and her chest feeling rather heavy, Hermione headed back up to Gryffindor Tower. She never did get the opportunity to ask Dumbledore about Snape; as there hadn't been an opportunity to broach the subject once the unexpected news had been dropped on her. She now realized she likely wouldn't even get the chance again, not unless she could somehow get him alone before the ministry officials showed up on her last night here.</p><p>As the moving staircases locked into the correct landing, she exited onto the seventh floor before muttering the new password to the fat lady. She knew Charlie would be waiting up for her, but she still didn't know how to break the news to him. He was bound to have similar feelings over the matter to her own.</p><p>Sure enough, he lifted his head at the sound of her clambering in through the portrait hole. As usual his face was gleaming with a bright, welcoming smile; directed right at her.</p><p>Unlike Dumbledore, he stood to greet her; coming to meet her half way. His arms wrapped around her so he could pull her into a tight embrace, which she desperately needed at the moment. She took in a deep breath to commit his scent to memory; pleasant like mint, but somehow woodsy and piney all at the same time.</p><p>As she hugged him somehow even tighter than before, he let out a low, deep chuckle directly into her ear.</p><p>"I missed you too." He whispered, as to not wake any of their sleeping dorm mates up. "In fact I had quite a bit of time to do some thinking while you were downstairs, and came to quite the conclusion of just how much I really am going to miss you once you're gone."</p><p>Hermione relaxed the side of her face against his chest, letting the combined sound of his voice and heartbeat soothe her. She was going to miss him too.</p><p>"I didn't know love could feel like this Hermione." He continued, his fingers absentmindedly stroking through her hair. "And I don't ever want it to end."</p><p>That heavy feeling in her chest that had just started to dissipate suddenly returned full force. As much as she wanted to get lost in his arms, she couldn't put off telling him anymore.</p><p>"But Charlie it will end." She whispered solemnly in return. "You leave in less than two months."</p><p>He suddenly pulled back, with his arms still loosely around her; putting some space between their upper bodies in order to look her face over. His smile faded, and was replaced with a look that conveyed both surprise and concern. "What do you mean I leave in two months?" He asked.</p><p>Hermione pulled back even further in order to clear her senses. "Dumbledore pulled some strings in order to get you into the next available training program at the RDS." She explained softly before putting on a forced smile. She hoped he would at least be excited to get to work with his beloved dragons even earlier than planned. "You leave April 18th."</p><p>"April?" He repeated, his heart thumping in his chest. "But...but you don't leave until May."</p><p>He looked as if he could barely process the information, just as she had felt less than an hour ago. "I know." She nodded before glancing to the floor.</p><p>"Well I don't want to go." He said firmly, looking almost sick at the idea. "We're already short on time Jean, and I'm not cutting it down another two weeks. I'll just politely defer until August, just like I originally planned."</p><p>Hermione closed her eyes and groaned under her breath at his stubbornness. "Charlie, you've got to."</p><p>"Why?" He retorted angrily, though held himself back from raising his voice. His hands waved wildly on either side of himself, as he tended to talk with his hands when he was frustrated.</p><p>Hermione softly grabbed his hands in hers, and brought them back down; holding them between their bodies. "Because if you don't." She started softly. "We don't stand a chance. Not with the war, and definitely not with each other."</p><p>Charlie stared into her eyes for a moment to try and read her; his own sadness of moving up their farewell was mirrored in them. "Did Dumbledore have more to tell you than just when I'm supposed to leave?"</p><p>She nodded as her eyes flickered to their joined hands; where her thumb began to stroke the back of his hand soothingly. "Mhm. Apparently word of my little incident with Flint made it all the way to the ministry. They are worried my time here is going to leave lingering effects on those I've had continuous contact with, so they plan on erasing any memories of me as soon as I'm gone."</p><p>A growl of discontent escaped him as he began to fully understand what was happening. After digging his heels into the metaphorical ground he was actually going to have to leave earlier than her anyway. It truly was the only option going forward. He couldn't risk getting his memory wiped by waiting for her to leave first. Because if he did then he risked being unable to help her both between now and then, and upon her return.</p><p>"Of course they are." He grumbled under his breath. "Fuck!"</p><p>They stood in near silence for a moment in order to let Charlie process the news; the several expletives he began to mutter accounting for the only noise in the room. They were lucky everyone else was already asleep.</p><p>"I feel like I should have seen this coming." She finally cut his cursing off. "It's a rather obvious plan of action for them now that I think about it."</p><p>"Bunch of bloody arseholes." He scoffed.</p><p>"I know they are just doing their jobs, but I can't help but agree." She stepped in close again; placing a single hand to the right side of his face. "Which is why you have to go. If they find out how close you've gotten to me, they'll be determined to erase all of your memories too."</p><p>"I won't let that happen." He growled. "I'd run and go into hiding before I let that happen."</p><p>Hermione kissed him softly on the lips, pulling them closer together. "Luckily for you, I don't think you'll have to. They have no jurisdiction in Romania."</p><p>He ended up chuckling at that, but his face still looked solemn. Though he knew it had to be done, it still didn't make their upcoming departure any easier. He ended up deepening the kiss as he closed off any remaining distance between them.</p><p>Even though there was no distance left, they each had a need to be even closer to one another. It had never been clearer that their time together in the past was drawing to a close, now at even more of an accelerated rate. With both their minds racing through the same thoughts, Hermione couldn't help but begin to sniffle through a series of wet and rather sloppy kisses.</p><p>Charlie suddenly lifted her up, carrying her bridal style over to the staircase that led to the boys dorms. "But back to what I was trying to mention earlier." He cut off their kiss, no doubt hoping to lift her spirits before bringing her up to his bed. "No Jeanie, it won't end." He rested their foreheads together in a comforting manner, using her fake name; old habits apparently resurfacing under the tension of the moment. "Sure, our relationship will have to be put on pause, but my love for you will never end."</p><p>Hermione released a small sob along with a watery smile as his thumb brushed a single tear from her cheek. He always seemed to eventually know what to say to cheer her up, proving that he was exactly the man she needed in her life.</p><p>"And neither will mine." She replied.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: So I have a possible opportunity for anyone out there who is interested in writing fanfiction, but does not know what to write about, or even how to get started. I find myself constantly coming up with ideas for new Charlie/Hermione fanfiction, but I know I will never have the time or energy to actually write them all. (My husband keeps encouraging me to refocus my energy to write an actual book)</p><p>So if any of my fellow Charmione people out there are interested in writing a fanfic, I would be more than happy to share some ideas, (or help you flush out an idea of your own), and I would even be happy to help with chapter planning and beta-ing. We need more of this pairing, and I've honestly read all the good ones too many times. I would love to get more reading material out there, but unfortunately I am not as fast at writing as I would like to be.</p><p>Please PM me if you are interested! I have 4 ideas ready to go.</p>
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<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was now half way through March. Hermione was currently bent over one of the tables in the greenhouse that contained the wiggentrees, with her pants hiked half way down her legs; Charlie pushing into her from behind.</p><p>There were now only five weeks left until his portkey was scheduled to take him to Romania. So lately he had taken to throwing her against every available surface to have his way with her; claiming that he needed enough mental images of her in various positions to help him get through the next eight years without her.</p><p>She let out a breathy and contented sigh as he picked up his pace; muttering praises in her ear as he stroked her hair lovingly. It wasn't long before that familiar feeling of glorious pleasing pressure began to build, causing her to arch backwards into him.</p><p>The unanticipated friction caused him to release a loud grunt he'd been holding back in an attempt to be quiet. It was the middle of the night after all, and they'd be in a lot of trouble if they were discovered shagging in the greenhouses past curfew.</p><p>The fingers of his right hand twisted into her hair, holding her in position so she couldn't surprise him again and give away their location. She had to bite down on her lip in order to stifle the moan itching in the back of her throat. Hermione knew he was getting just as close as she was when his hips began moving erratically. His breathing deepened in her ear just as his tongue came out to flick the lobe, then pulled it between his teeth.</p><p>His other hand covered her mouth just as she was about to cry out, knowing that sucking on her ear would cause that reaction from her. He chuckled softly against her neck before turning her head to shush her with his lips instead.</p><p>It was a little bit of an awkward position with her head over her shoulder like that, but another harsh thrust of his hips had her forgetting all about the slight strain in her neck. Luckily the hand keeping her head in place began to massage the aching muscle while keeping up his unrelenting pace against her backside. She nearly screamed into his mouth when from nowhere he reached between their bodies and gave her clit a single small flick; causing her to topple over the edge. He stifled any noises she made with his mouth, as he continued his frenzied movements with his hips; continuing to drive into her over and over again.</p><p>When her head finally cleared, he was still at it, but at a much softer and slower pace. Figuring that he was trying to stop himself from coming and keep their activities going on well into the night, she braced herself to take more of him. He obviously wasn't planning on being done with her anytime soon.</p><p>As he began to build them up again, she suddenly thought back to a recent conversation she'd had with Sarah, which gave her a wicked idea. It wasn't something she necessarily wanted to do for herself, as the idea was a bit naughtier and less sanitary than she'd considered doing before, but Sarah had said that men tended to find it attractive and that it would drive Charlie mad with lust if she surprised him with it.</p><p>Deciding to take a leaf out of her brazen friend's book, Hermione slipped one of her hands behind her and rubbed Charlie's neck with it as she pushed herself to stand up. Confused, he stopped any movement from his hips, though did keep himself fully seated inside her.</p><p>"What is it?" He whispered, sounding worried at her sudden change in position, both hands back on her hips to steady them. "Is something wrong?"</p><p>Hermione shook her head, as she bit her lip; twisting her neck around to look at him again. With one movement, she pushed him out of and away from her, causing a stream of wetness to run down the inside of her thighs. She pressed her lips against his again as she turned him to lean against the table he'd taken her on just moments earlier.</p><p>She began to explore his mouth with her tongue as he complied; her hand smoothing itself over his very hard erection, which was still wet from being inside of her for so long. Her palm caressed it softly as she tried to build up the courage to follow through with her plan. Though it would be something new and different for her, she hoped it would at least be a mental image he would appreciate over the coming years.</p><p>As her tongue continued to stroke the inside of his mouth, she adjusted her panties in order to redo the button on her jeans; righting her clothing so she could kneel in front of him comfortably. She had to slap his hands away from sliding into her shirt, but when she was confident that she'd be able to hold a position on the ground for a long enough period of time, she slid down his body slowly until finally she was settled at his feet.</p><p>Charlie's eyes gleamed knowingly as she looked up at him from her position on the greenhouse floor, her new placement indicating only one thing.</p><p>"Is this one of those mental images you were hoping to get?" She asked, sounding confident, but looking less sure.</p><p>He wanted to lean down and kiss her again, but he also didn't want to get in the way or distract her from doing what she obviously had planned. "Godric, yes Jean." He whispered, trying to reassure her, but also trying not to groan at the sight she made before him. "Hell yes."</p><p>She flashed him another small smile before shifting her focus to what was in front of her instead; taking time to examine it carefully. She'd never had her face this close to his penis before, or any for that matter, and she wanted to prepare herself; ready to learn how to do something new but curious as to what exactly it was she had gotten herself into.</p><p>After only a few seconds delay, Hermione leaned forward the rest of the way and gave the underside of the head a first experimental lick; then flattening her tongue, and dragging it all the way up and down his shaft with the second.</p><p>Charlie took in a sharp intake of breath, and had to bite his lip in order to keep himself from making any more unnecessary noise. His reflexes were telling him to close his eyes, relax and enjoy what she was doing to him, but another more primal part of him didn't want to miss a second of this; of watching her while she sucked him off.</p><p>As she continued to run her tongue over every inch of him, she closed her own eyes; knowing he was watching her intently, and she wanted to put on a bit of a show for him. Figuring that if they were ever going to get to the real reason they had come to the greenhouses in the first place that she would have to move things along, she finally opened her mouth a little wider and let the tip of his cock slide deep into her mouth.</p><p>She felt as if she were going to gag; he was incredibly hard and twice as long as would fit comfortably in her small mouth, but he didn't seem to be complaining. As she began to slide her mouth up and down on it, she opened her eyes to make sure she was doing it right. His jaw had slackened as he focused on what her mouth was doing, and with some pride she noticed that his hands had turned white from gripping the edge of the table so hard.</p><p>Just like she'd heard about from one of Sarah's far too detailed reenactments, her hand came up to palm his sac. She rubbed it softly with her fingers as her mouth continued to work him over. Out of reflex, one of his hands left the table ledge to fist itself into her hair, and he released his favorite expletive under his breath.</p><p>"Good gods Jean." He cursed as he attempted not to force himself further in and down her throat.</p><p>A bit of a thrill danced down Hermione's spine as he gripped her hair just slightly too tight. She couldn't deny that she enjoyed driving him mad like this by testing his self control. Though she knew it would be uncomfortable, she relaxed her throat a bit so she could take even more of him into her mouth; bobbing and trying not to choke as she sped up her pace. At least by now her mouth was getting used to the feeling of being filled.</p><p>Charlie didn't last much longer after that, as streams of thick, white, salty warmth coated the entire inside of her mouth. He had tried to pull out in time, but not only had he miscalculated how quick she had brought him to the edge, but also her fingers had dug themselves into the back of his thigh in order to keep him firmly seated deep within her mouth.</p><p>The taste and texture of it was definitely not something Hermione would ever think of as good or even pleasant, but the desire to leave him with that naughty image of her in his head had been well worth it. Especially when the strangled noise he made behind his hand was basically an admission that he'd just come harder than ever before in his life. Hermione smirked to herself before swirling her tongue around the head again to make sure she'd sucked down every drop.</p><p>As she released him with a slow final suck, she could feel his legs trembling beneath her hands, but he was still looking down at her with an intense yet affectionate gaze. She bit her lip with a coy smile before resting her chin against his knee.</p><p>"Fucking hell." He finally whispered through heavy breathing. "Where did you learn how to do that?"</p><p>Hermione snorted as she massaged the back of his left leg with her hand; listening as his breathing began to steady. "Well, you know how much I like to read."</p><p>"Books." He sighed, with a quiet laugh. "I love books."</p><p>They both giggled in the aftermath, as Charlie held out his hand to help her back to her feet. She took it gratefully and pulled herself into a standing position before taking the opportunity to rest against his chest. He placed a soft kiss to her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her.</p><p>Hermione sighed in content; knowing she could stay like that for hours as long as they were still together. It wasn't long before the logical part of her brain caught up to her desires though, and she knew they needed to get a move on if they were going to get the tree moved before Filch found them.</p><p>"You know we came in here with a different mission on our to do list right?" She glanced up at him.</p><p>Another one of his cheesy grins spread across his lips. "I'd forgotten actually." He fibbed.</p><p>"Well we did." She laughed again; pinching the side of his ribs where she knew he was ticklish. "Now which wiggentree do you think we should steal?"</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>The next day, on Sunday evening, Hermione was at her usual table in the library. Charlie was once again at quidditch practice, though this time as a one on one with Oliver Wood. He was going to try and prepare the third year to take over for him as captain once he leaves; but what was unknown to him or the rest of the team was that it would actually be well before the end of the season.</p><p>Hermione flipped another page in her book, studying the Herbology text for information on the best way to cut up a wiggentree to get the most segments out of it. She was hoping that there was a spell to be found for this sort of thing, instead of them having to resort to chopping it up with an ax. She was worried that using that much physical strength on it would cause damage and mess everything up in the process.</p><p>As she ran her fingers over the words, positive that she was getting closer to the spell she was looking for, she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. Keeping her finger in place to mark the last words she read, Hermione turned her head to spot her two new closest friends coming in search of her; both of them with looks of apprehension on their faces. It seemed when something was about to go wrong for her, they always showed up as a pair to give her the rotten news. This time would be no different.</p><p>"Oh no." Hermione groaned and covered her eyes with her free hand. "What is it now, you two?"</p><p>They looked surprised to be called out like that, but Laura and Sarah also knew that it was not without merit.</p><p>"Okay Jean, we know we are usually the bearers of bad news, usually having to do with your love life." Laura started to defend them as Hermione glared at them in disbelief.</p><p>"But it's actually nothing to do with that this time." Sarah added with her hands in mock surrender in front of her. "Honest."</p><p>"No seriously. It's nothing to do with Charlie, or Heather St. Clair." Laura dragged on. "It's actually Professor McGonagall."</p><p>Hermione was more than a little confused by both their behavior, and the mention of her favorite professor. "McGonagall?" She asked, giving them a look that urged one or both of them to continue.</p><p>"Yes, well. She wanted us to let you know that…" Laura faltered as if looking for the right words. "Well you still aren't in trouble or anything."</p><p>"Yeah. No trouble whatsoever." Sarah interjected, trying to help.</p><p>"But she also thought you might want to know before going to Herbology tomorrow…"</p><p>Hermione began to panic as she thought back to the book in her hand. The mention of Herbology made her feel sick, as she worried someone outside of her, Charlie, and Dumbledore knew about the wiggentree and what they were up to with it. Had her and Charlie been caught the night before? Had someone else discovered her secret?</p><p>"As it might be a bit of a shock." Sarah rambled on again.</p><p>'Uh oh. Oh no.' Hermione thought as she braced herself for the news that was about to be dropped on her.</p><p>"That Mason Flint is back." Laura finally finished with a grimace.</p><p>Hermione sighed in what was a mix of emotions. Relief that no one knew about what her and Charlie had been up to in the middle of the night, but dread at the thought of having to share a class with Flint again; The man who had most recently tried to attack her. She still didn't know what consequences that day could have on either of their futures.</p><p>"Oh." She responded gloomily.</p><p>"On the bright side you don't have to be his partner anymore though." Sarah added, hoping that small bit of information would make her feel at least a little better.</p><p>It didn't.</p>
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<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mason Flint, it turned out, did not remember much of the incident that had happened in late January; though Hermione wasn't entirely sure if it was due to his head injury alone, or if the ministry had sent someone in to wipe it from his memory completely. Either way, his lack of remembrance hadn't stopped the other Slytherins from filling his head with gossip and lies of what had actually happened that day. He glared at her with ill intent the entire lesson, as she attempted to focus on trimming the leaves off of her assigned alihotsy tree.</p><p>And although his focus was directed maliciously at her the entire lesson, it seemed the witch from Ravenclaw he was now paired with had directed all of her attention at him. She was doing most of the work on their tree by herself, while continuously asking him if he felt okay or if she could get him anything. It seemed a little pathetic in Hermione's eyes, but it was also a hopeful possibility that the girl would be a better distraction for him in future lessons.</p><p>'At least he is alive,' Hermione thought to herself, 'And in a few weeks he won't even remember I existed in the first place.'</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>All the way back in his third year, Charlie had discovered a charm that would cause a rather exciting display of waterworks to erupt out of an already existing body of water. Soon after, he'd begun testing it out on the great lake as a way to interact with the giant squid that seemed to follow him as he'd walk along its shore. It was no secret that animals seemed to take a liking to him, and the giant squid was no exception.</p><p>Currently, he and Hermione were laid out on a picnic blanket in the grass nearby, while spouts of murky lake water erupted at random intervals in a fascinating display. It reminded her of high tech muggle fountains and aquatic shows, except none of the ones she had ever seen contained a ginormous and happy squid that liked to hit it's tentacles against the ever changing streams.</p><p>After her fascination had subsided some, she turned from the lakeview to look back at Charlie, who was currently stroking the single tentacle the giant squid had propped out of the water. It was extended outward in order to lay directly across Charlie's lap, who would cease his petting every so often in order to tickle it between its suction cups.</p><p>Hermione smiled fondly at the display, before realizing how long it had been since she'd held Crookshanks in that same manner. Her smile faded slowly as she realized for the first time just how much she missed him, and the way he used to nap in her lap as she read. Even before coming to the past she hadn't seen him in several months, as she had left him to run around safely on the Burrow's property where he could chase the gnomes to his heart's content.</p><p>Noticing her sudden mood change, Charlie gently sat the tip of the squid's extremity back into the water, before sliding over to wrap his arm around her shoulder instead. "Where have you gone to in that head of yours?" He whispered in her ear.</p><p>Hermione turned to look at him with a sad smile, beginning to feel silly. "The way you were petting that squid made me realize just how much I miss my cat actually."</p><p>He tilted his head to the side as he released a small bark of laughter. "I didn't realize you had a cat." He commented.</p><p>"A big orange half kneazle actually." Her lips twitched upwards again, excited to tell him all about her familiar. "His name is Crookshanks, and he loves to chase the gnomes all around the garden at the Burrow."</p><p>Charlie smiled as he tried to picture it, the way their lives would be intertwined even before she made it back to him in the future. "Is that where he is now? In your time I mean?"</p><p>"Yes. I figured he'd be happier if I left him there rather than drag him on the run with Harry, Ron, and I. I knew we'd constantly be moving from place to place on our hunt for the hor-"</p><p>"Hey you two!" Sarah called out, interrupting their confidential conversation as her and Devon approached them with a picnic basket in hand from the side. "Say cheese!"</p><p>Flash. Click.</p><p>Hermione hadn't noticed the camera in Sarah's hand until it was too late, and out of reflex she had smiled just as Charlie leaned his head in. At first she was excited that they were going to be pictured together, but then her brain caught up to the excitement, and reminded her that photographic evidence of her being here wasn't a good idea. She'd have to make sure Charlie was the only one who ended up with a copy once the film had been developed.</p><p>"Well we might be late, but at least we finally made it." Devon claimed bashfully as Sarah stashed her camera away. It wasn't exactly hard to guess what activity had made them tardy.</p><p>Earlier in the day Charlie had suggested that the other couple join them for a day of leisure on the Hogwarts grounds in front of the lake. Though Devon was currently unaware, Hermione knew that Charlie wanted to spend some extra time with him before he was due to leave for Romania in three weeks. He was also going to use today as an opportunity to finally tell Devon that he would be leaving long before the end of the school year, and they would not be taking their N.E.W.T.S together as had always been planned.</p><p>"Hello Sarah, hello Devon." Hermione smiled brightly at them as they settled on the blanket beside her and Charlie. "I know she probably doesn't want to feel like a fifth wheel, but do you think Laura would want to join us as well? There's more than enough room." She directed her question at Sarah, not wanting any of her other friends to feel excluded from their Saturday in the sun.</p><p>Sarah waved her off with a laugh as she opened up the basket and passed some refreshing beverages around. "Oh don't worry about Laura. She's off behind the tapestry of Uric the Oddball again; snogging Broderick Scrimgeour for what I'm pretty sure is the third time this week."</p><p>Though Hermione was glad to hear that Laura was happily occupied elsewhere, that last name definitely threw her for a bit of a loop. "Scrimgeour?"</p><p>"Yeah, he's a Gryffindor too, but in sixth year." Sarah replied, as she settled herself on the corner of the blanket. "Have you not met him?"</p><p>"Uhm no." Hermione shook her head, trying to picture which Gryffindor she was referring to. "But I have met an auror named Rufus Scrimgeour, and I was not a fan."</p><p>Sarah snorted, and made a comment about being pretty sure it was his very stern grandfather. Charlie on the other hand was looking at her strangely. Unlike the other two, he seemed to know that the man mentioned had to do with something unpleasant from her past, but he also knew better than to mention it.</p><p>"Yeah, Broderick's a nice enough bloke." Charlie commented before changing the subject. "Anyway, Devon, I actually had an ulterior motive for inviting you to join us today. You see there's something pretty important about to happen in my life, but, well, I didn't really know how to tell you."</p><p>"Tell me what?" Devon looked at him strangely, though definitely intrigued. "Are the two of yeh-" He cut himself off to point between Charlie and Hermione as he waved his finger back and forth.</p><p>Charlie looked to Hermione confused for a moment before turning back to Devon. "No. No. Definitely not." He laughed nervously for a second at the indication. "I, uh, actually got accepted to the dragonology program in Romania."</p><p>"What?!" Devon reacted excitedly, knowing all too well about his best friend's obsession with the magical creatures. "That's incredible mate. Congratulations!" He scooted in to clap Charlie on the shoulder. "Does that mean you've declined the offer from the English Quidditch League then?"</p><p>"Yeah I have actually. I sent them my letter of regret a few weeks ago." He admitted. "Which brings up the other part of what I needed to talk to you about today. As alternate, you're actually going to have to take over for me as seeker once I'm gone."</p><p>"Gone?...What... Take over?" Devon had obviously been caught off guard with that last sentence. "Wait! When are you leavin?"</p><p>"Look, it's kind of supposed to be kept secret for now, but April 18th. I got special permission, but Dumbledore doesn't want to bring attention to my departure in case it gives anyone else in our year the idea that they can leave early too." Charlie added that last part as a lie to keep Devon from asking any unnecessary questions. "So if we can keep it between just the four of us for now, I'd really appreciate it."</p><p>"Look mate, I'm honestly happy for you. I know it's your dream job and all, but shite." Devon cursed. "Of course I'll not mention it to anyone else, but I won't lie and say I'm not a bit bummed. We were supposed to finish off our time at Hogwarts togetha after all."</p><p>"I know Dev. I hate to drop this on you at the last minute. Especially as I was hoping to wait it out until their next program in August, but they offered me the one starting in a few weeks, and I didn't want to be rude or sound ungrateful by deferring to the fall." Charlie tried to explain without revealing anything secretive.</p><p>"Nah, I understand. Sucks we won't get to pull a finals week prank like we always planned, but I'm still happy for ya." Devon tried to reassure him that they'd always be friends no matter what. "What about Miles and Arnold though? You should probably tell them before you leave too ya know."</p><p>Miles Stanguard, and Arnold Tully were the two beaters on the team, and current fellow seventh years with them as well. Charlie had obviously dormed with them for the entirety of his time at Hogwarts, and considered them good friends as well.</p><p>"I was planning on announcing it to the whole team next week actually." He answered. "The girls and Oliver deserve to know too."</p><p>"Shite." Devon cursed again. "Is that why you've been havin all those one on one practices with Wood then?"</p><p>Charlie only nodded guiltily in return.</p><p>After a short silence it was actually Sarah who ended up breaking it with the next question.</p><p>"Excuse me in advance for being a bit nosey, but what exactly does that mean for you and Jean?" She asked, already knowing that the answer would not be a happy one.</p><p>Both Charlie and Hermione turned to look each other in the eyes for a moment, before she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. They had already talked about what they needed to tell their friends between now and her own departure.</p><p>"We're going to try the whole long distance thing." He replied, which wasn't technically a lie.</p><p>Plus, just like Mason Flint, in a few weeks they wouldn't even remember Jean Walters existed in their lives to begin with.</p><p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</p><p>It took them exactly two hours and thirty seven minutes to cut, braid, and assemble the sixty-two amulets. Though Hermione had hoped for at least one hundred, that was all they were able to cut from a single wiggentree. After digging through several texts, she had finally found a book on the best charms and spells to assist with woodworking; which had not only taught them the incantation for segmenting up the wiggentree, but also the one for drilling the small holes needed for the braided magical creature hair to pass through too.</p><p>At this point they had formed a sort of assembly line, with Hermione inspecting each basic amulet form before passing it onto Charlie to place inside the secret pocket of his rucksack. Like with most aspects of their life, they made a good team; each of them performing the task best suited to their strengths.</p><p>Yet another week had passed since that day on the lawn with Sarah and Devon, only instead of leisurely passing the day away with friends, they had spent the evening hours finishing up what they could on the amulets before they were due to be separated in two weeks. Though they tried not to bring the subject of it up, the metaphorical ticks of the clock chiming down rang clear in both of their chests, as if each beat of their hearts were ticking them down to the very last moment.</p><p>With only a few amulet forms left to go, Hermione discovered that one of the punched holes had caused the wood to crack near the top; splintering and leaving irreparable damage. A reparo would likely interfere with the forging process later on, and couldn't be risked. She rubbed the pad of her thumb across it to double check its structural integrity just in case, but that only caused the wood to crumble and split even worse.</p><p>'Make that sixty-one' She said to herself as she placed it to the side.</p><p>For some reason the image of broken wood reminded her of not just one, but several memorable incidents from when she was a child. Before she even realized how bizarre it would sound to her companion, Hermione had burst into a fit of giggles; handing the very last completed amulet form to Charlie as she tried to stifle them from behind one of her hands.</p><p>"Um...okay." He commented on her oddity, as he tilted his head to look at her. "Is there something funny about having one less amulet that I'm not catching onto here?"</p><p>She was able to get her giggling under control, and turned to face him with a wide grin still spread across both her cheeks. "Not really no, but the reminder that it gave me is."</p><p>"I don't follow." He replied, still confused.</p><p>"My father." She snorted, more at herself than to him as she tried to explain. "I just reminded myself of him. Wanting to fix something, but just making it worse in the end."</p><p>Charlie was caught off guard by her casual and rather cheery comment. She didn't tend to talk about her family much, and in the beginning of her time here had explicitly avoided the subject altogether.</p><p>"Likes to imagine himself a handyman that father of mine." She grinned even wider as she brushed a few stray curls away from her blushing cheeks. "But he always ends up making whatever he tries to fix even worse. Except for other people's teeth of course. He wouldn't very well be a good dentist if he was constantly ruining people's mouths beyond repair." Hermione rambled as she attempted to tell him about her parents. "Because both he and my mother are muggle teeth healers." She clarified that last bit. "Anyway, my poor mother is always trying to hide anything broken long enough to sneak a real handyman in to fix things before he can attempt to, but somehow he always beats her to it."</p><p>At this point, Charlie couldn't help but snort at her story too. He was glad to see that she had a loving, although perhaps a bit odd, family waiting for her once she returned. That little bit of information made him feel confident in his decision to let her go back without asking her to stay behind with him. He knew now that she missed them terribly, and needed to get back to them without waiting another eight years between now and reuniting with them.</p><p>"He knocked our entire kitchen cabinetry down one time, splitting our brand new, and very expensive marble countertops in the process." She continued with a scoff, unaware of what he was thinking. "And all he had to say on the matter was 'oops'"</p><p>Hermione giggled again as she mocked quotations with her fingers on the word oops.</p><p>Charlie leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, unable to help himself. He liked hearing her talk about her real life, especially in such a cheerful manner as she currently was.</p><p>"He sounds like a real character." He finally commented. "I can't wait to meet him."</p><p>Hermione's eyes flashed with what looked like a mixture of sadness and guilt. She gulped before dragging his bag closer to her, and zipping the inside pocket all the way closed. He could tell she was using it as an excuse to keep her hands busy as he noticed her start to tremble slightly.</p><p>"Is...is everything okay with your parents?" He asked, getting the hint that something was wrong with them, and then remembering one of the very few things he knew about them from a comment she'd made last September; on her birthday. "If I remember correctly, you said they were hidden in Australia, right?"</p><p>Hermione sighed before gathering a deep intake of breath. "Look, Charlie. What you have to understand about that, is that you didn't know any of my secrets back then. There is still so much danger, and fear about the future that I haven't been able to convey with my explanations. I know I've told you a lot, but I've tried my best to keep it on a need to know basis. I've been trying to spare you as much turmoil as I can without lying. You're going to have years of it as it is."</p><p>Charlie felt his heart sink lower in his chest as he nodded slowly. "Yeah I figured many of your seven years worth of magical memories would have to be cut back a bit, but what does that have to do with your muggle parents? Are they safe or not?"</p><p>"Yes, but it's more complicated than that." She replied, as their fingers intertwined out of habit. "After Voldemort took over the ministry last August, they started rounding up muggleborns and their families. Targeting them, sending them to Azkaban, and in some cases I even heard rumors of some of them getting the dementor's kiss."</p><p>She felt him shudder beside her, and she placed a calming hand on his chest; raking her nails downward over his robes. "But even before then, I knew that I'd be going into hiding with Harry. I knew that as Harry Potter's best muggleborn friend that my family was going to be targeted, and that they would have no way to protect themselves against death eaters."</p><p>"So you did something about it?" He asked, horrified, but trying not to show it for her sake.</p><p>"I obliviated them." She answered him; her voice strong, but her lip trembling. "Just before joining your family for Bill's wedding. I made them forget me, and I made them think that they wanted to move to Australia, and I made damn sure that they got on that plane."</p><p>Charlie gathered her up against his chest, as the shaking of her hands, and bottom lip spread throughout her entire body. His fingers stroked her scalp as he tried to imagine how hard that must have been for her. He also knew in her mind that she wasn't quite sure if she'd ever make it back to them to undo the spell or not. With their time running out, he knew that he needed to reassure her once again that he would always be there for her, no matter how bad things were sure to get.</p><p>"It's alright, Hermione. It's alright." He attempted to soothe her as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "It sounds to me like you did the right thing in protecting them."</p><p>"I know." She whined, as he noticed how hard she was attempting not to sob now; a far cry from the giggling she'd burst into earlier. "I know, but I worry so much that I won't ever get the chance to undo it."</p><p>He knew she was referring to the possibility of her own death, and not her inability to do the spell. Charlie couldn't help but shudder again at that thought. There was no way he was ever going to let that happen, and there was no way he was ever going to let her never see her parents again either.</p><p>"You will, Hermione. I promise." He bade her, kissing the top of her head again. "And I'll be right there beside you when you do."</p>
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